If there were ever a night to eat out, it’s April 28, 2011.  Join Dining Out For Life (DOFL) at a participating restaurant and a portion of your bill will be donated to support local services in the fight against AIDS.

DOFL is a one-day international fundraiser that benefits non-profit service agencies in over 55 metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada.  The Miami New Times and New Times Broward are co-hosting the fundraising event and on April 29 all of the participating businesses will hand over the donations to Care Resource, South Florida’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization.

The donation will help Care Resource continue to provide services like intensive primary healthcare, testing, clinical trials and comprehensive support services.

DOFL is one of the best fundraising events that the LGBT community has ever seen in Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors and Miami and it’s a short drive to many of the the participating restaurants from The Cabanas Guesthouse and Spa.

For a full list of participating restaurants click here.

Join thousands of people as they come together as one in Miami Beach for the 23rd Annual AIDS Walk Miami.  ”The walk benefits Care Resource, a 501 [c](3) non-profit, multi-cultural, community based HIV/AIDS service organization.”

Care Resource provides education, prevention and early intervention services, information and referrals, primary medical care, clinical trials, psychosocial services and outreach.  The agency is non discriminatory and provides services to men, women and youth in the South Florida communities of Miami-Dad and Broward counties.

If you visit Care Resource online you can build your own personalized profile where you can explain why you are walking, why people should make donations, and post your own pictures.

For sponsorship opportunities, booth rentals, and entertainment contact Steve Beko at 305-576-1234 Ext 258.

Source: Mark’s List

Join Scandals for this Jack Daniel’s sponsored event on April 8, 9, and 10.  Hang out at the “VIP Ranch” and enjoy happy hour pricing on all liquor, all beer, ALL WEEKEND.  There’s even a free buffet Friday and Saturday.

For more information visit www.scandalsfla.com

This is awesome!  After over 150,000 people signed the petition at Change.org and intense media coverage worldwide, Apple has pulled the iPhone application launched by Exodus International that claimed gay people could be “cured.”

This is an epic win for the gay community especially with the dangerous myth circulating that young gay people can be “turned straight.”  It’s these falsehoods that are perpetuating depression and suicides among children and young adults.

Truth Wins Out, the organization that started the petition on Change.org, is thrilled.

Apple did the right thing because an incredible 151,125 Change.org members stood together to demand it.

For a decade now, The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber Of Commerce (MDGLCC) has hosted an annual gala awards celebration to honor corporate and individual supporters of the Miami-Dade LGBT community. Honorees are chosen for their long-term commitment to fostering diversity, as well as for their efforts in contributing to the overall well being and quality of life in South Florida.  This event will take place on Saturday, March 26 at 6 p.m., at the Hilton Miami Downtown Hotel, 1601 Biscayne Blvd.in Miami.

“As the voice of the LGBT business community, the Chamber is especially proud to have such an exemplary group to recognize this year,” said Steve Adkins, MDGLCC president. “We’re anticipating one of the largest turnouts in our decade-long history. This year’s gala will be particularly significant in light of the Chamber’s achievements in growth and influence, especially with the opening of the new LGBT Visitor Center in Miami Beach.”

The first award, The MetLife Business of the Year Award, is being presented to Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA) for its commitment to diversity and inclusion of LGBT and allied community issues. The award will be accepted by Wendy Kallergis, president and CEO of the GMBHA, and Tim Nardi, boardchair.

“The hospitality industry in Miami-Dade employs nearly 10% of the county’s entire LGBT workforce,” Adkins said. “Additionally, the tourism tax revenue further impacts the lives of many LGBT citizens in South Florida both directly and indirectly. The Chamber applauds the effort of the GMBHA to recognize excellence in the industry across all diverse demographics and congratulates them on the ‘MetLife Business of the Year Award’.”

The second award, Hilton Miami Downtown Business Person of the Year Award, is being presented to Naomi Wilzig, World Erotic Art Museum, for embracing diversity in all forms and demonstrating excellent management and leadership skills.

“As founder and president of the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami Beach, Wilzig curates the largest erotic art collection in the world,” Adkins said. “An author of five books on her extensive collection, she is widely regarded as the leading expert in the field. In addition to her numerous charitable contributions, Wilzig is a longtime supporter of the MDGLCC and the South Florida LGBT community.”

Wilzig will accept the award.

The third award, Wachovia (A Wells Fargo Company) Non-Profit Organization of the Year Award, is being presented to Switchboard of Miami, Inc.as a non-profit organization whose philosophy embodies the highest standards of outreach to the LGBT and allied communities. Catherine Penrod, president and CEO, will accept the award.

“Switchboard’s telephone counselors provide comprehensive crisis counseling, suicide prevention, information, and referral services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Adkins said. “Through an extensive partnership with community agencies and service providers, Switchboard counselors can access an extensive database of more than 3,000 service programs — including counseling centers and agencies that provide services related to the issues affecting the LGBTQ community.  In addition, Switchboard services include faith-based help centers, Baker Act information, bereavement programs, substance abuse treatment, support groups, in-home counseling, sex and love addiction support, and youth-oriented programs.”

And the fourth award, AT&T 10th Anniversary Special Recognition Award, will be presented to Grey Goose Vodka, a Bacardi Brand for embracing diversity in all forms and demonstrating continued dedication to the betterment of the community through actions and leadership. Michelle Beauchamp, marketing director, and Erin Mitchell, brand manager, will accept the award.

“The LGBT market in Miami-Dade is known all over the world for its distinctive and well-supported fundraising activities and Grey Goose Vodka and Bacardi brands are, more often than not, standing tall behind the bars,” Adkins said. “They have contributed tremendously to many LGBT organizations’ successes during the past 10 years and in addition to their event support, their overall embrace of the LGBT community and the company’s open and accepting employment policies, make them a worthy honoree for this award.”

The 10th Anniversary Gala Awards Celebration will feature a VIP champagne reception and silent auction beginning at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m., the awards ceremony at 9 p.m., and then a DJ and dancing beginning at 10 p.m..

For the past several years, MDGLCC has selected a different color of the rainbow flag for its Gala theme and the theme for this year’s event is “A Royal Affair” featuring the color purple which represents royalty and loyalty. Gala attendees are encouraged to wear something purple.  This annual event is MDGLCC’s principal fundraising effort and helps sustain operations and the ever-increasing demand to expand programming.

Tickets are $1,750 for VIP tables of 10, $175 for individual VIP tickets and $95 for open seating.

Location: Hilton Miami, Downtown Hotel – 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami
Contact: 305-673-4440

Source: www.hotspotsmagazine.com

There is seriously an app for everything these days.  A controversy recently erupted over a new application for the iPhone that suggest gay people can be “cured,” and that gay children should be put through therapy to change their sexual orientation.

Apple is currently providing Exodus International, an organization that promotes “conversion therapy,” an outlet on iTunes for this clearly homophobic application.

Exodus believes that LGBT people should be confronted with “spiritual warfare,” and “freedom from homosexuality,” should be a goal among our society.

The worst part about the application is that Apple seems to be perpetuating this homophobia by giving the app a 4+ rating on iTunes and labeling the app as “non-offensive.”  Really, Apple?  When an application uses words such as “immoral,” and “satanic,” in reference to sexual orientation, many people would agree that this is highly offensive.

Truth Wins Out, a grassroots group, has stared a petition on Change.org, asking Apple to follow their own editorial standards and remove this application from iTunes.

The thought process behind the petition is that the more signatures that they deliver, the more likely Apple executives will be to pull the application.

This homophobic application came as a shock to many LGBT because Apple has always been a very strong ally to this community.    “Conversion therapy,” has been condemned by every major medical and scientific organization around the world including The American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, and American Counseling Association.  These establishments have even gone so far as to say that this type of therapy can do more harm to a person’s mental well being than good.

To add your signature to the petition click here.

Source: www.Change.org