A Call to Action

Help Create the Gay Men's Health Summit 2012

July 20-21, 2012
George Washington University, Washington, DC.

We, as a diverse group of health educators, medical providers, policy makers, activists, people with HIV, and members of diverse LGBT communities, invite you to join us in creating the 2012 Gay Men�s Health Summit.

Since 1999, Gay Men�s Health Summits have brought forth powerful new ideas that have helped to create a new generation of leaders and organizations committed to the broad health of gay, bisexual and transgender men. We embrace and welcome all individuals who support the health and well-being of gay, bisexual and transgender men.

Our intent is to honor the spirit and tradition of the previous six summits that have come before. We aim to create a strong, diverse, and increasingly visible grassroots movement among gay, bi and trans men, focused on strengthening our communities and tackling a range of health concerns that include, but are not limited to, HIV and AIDS.

This year�s summit, however, will also be unique in many ways. The 2012 Gay Men�s Health Summit will take place on the campus of George Washington University, located just a few blocks away from the White House. Our Summit will take place July 20th and 21st, and will precede the International AIDS Conference.

Whether you are a registered participant in the International AIDS Conference or not, there will be many opportunities in the days following the Summit. Many of these details are still being determined, but we hope you will stay to participate in the many demonstrations, protests, gatherings, educational events, and of course the International AIDS Conference Global Village.

We hope that the friendships that are forged at the summit will continue throughout the International AIDS Conference and beyond.

Program planning for the summit is now beginning in earnest. We expect a range of activities, from panels, workshops, and organizing meetings to experiential learning, meditation, and creative festivities. We hope to tackle a range of topics that includes, but is not limited to:

Community wellness � Health leadership � Health care access � Gay men's health for the transman � Frontiers in HIV/AIDS and STD prevention and care � Using social media to promote gay men's health � Bi men's health � Asset-based strategies towards gay men's health � Youth and elder strategies � Tobacco and gay men's health � Health care reform and the gay community � Spiritual strategies towards community health � Self-care for the community organizer � Marriage equality as a health strategy � Diversity of family structures as a part of LGBT Health � LGBT health data collection � Understanding our bodies: What does it mean to be gay?

We create activities where we ask everyone to reach out across ethnic/racial, generational, socioeconomic, and range of physical ability differences and to talk and work toward common goals. Our earlier summits have been described as nurturing retreats, exciting think tanks, and moments of great enlightenment.

We know that language can be problematic, and that some people do not identify with the term gay. In addition to nurturing and supporting those who do identify as part of gay communities, our summits strive to embrace those who identify otherwise--as queer, genderqueer, same-gender loving-- as folks with a wide diversity of sexual and gender identities.

We encourage everyone to help create GMHS 2012, regardless of your geographical location or ability to attend the physical Summit. We anticipate numerous online conversations and conference calls, as well in-person meetings, during the months leading up to the Summit. We hope that participating in these activities will be personally rewarding in addition to helping create the best possible GMHS 2012. Please sign up for the planning committees at http://www.gmhs2012.org/volunteer_register.html

Please express your support for the Gay Men�s Health Movement and the Gay Men's Health Summit 2012 by adding your name and location below to this Call to Action. To be added as an endorser of this Call to Action, or for more information, please e-mail gmhs@thedccenter.org.

Edward M. Andrews, Alexandria, VA
Christopher Bartlett, Philadelphia, PA
David Beard, Washington, DC
Jawaan L Bivins, Silver Spring, MD
Rob Cooke, Washington, DC
Blake M. Cornish, Washington, DC
Christopher Dyer, Washington, DC
Jeff Englar, Washington, DC
David Fawcett, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Calvin Gerald, Washington, DC
Mark Hammann, Oshawa, Ontario
Stewart Landers, Boston, MA
Aric Lane, Seattle, WA
Diedra Levi, Little Rock, AR
Erik Libey, Rochester, NY
Cajetan Luna, Los Angeles
Marcelo Maia, New York, NY
David Mariner, Washington, DC
Philip T. McCabe, New Brunswick, NJ
Ernest McCarley, Washington, DC
Jeff McConnell, San Francisco, CA
Cecilio Orta, Charlotte, NC
David G Ostrow, Chicago, IL
Brian Lutenegger , Washington, DC
David Phillips, College Park, MD
Jim Pickett, Chicago, IL
Michael Plankey, Washington, DC
Harlan Pruden, New York, NY
Robert Reinhard, San Francisco, CA
Calvin Rufus, Chicago, IL
Michael Shankle, Washington, DC
Ron Swanda, Washington, DC
Shane Snowdon, San Francisco, CA
Edward Strickler, Albermale County, VA
Fred Swanson, Seattle, WA
Ivan Ortiz Torres, Washington, DC
Gary Paul Wright, Newark, NJ
ABilly S Jones-Hennin, Washington, DC
Kenya Hutton, Washington, DC

Organizations
The Living Affected Corporation, Little Rock, AR
Montana Gay Men's Task Force, Missoula, Montana
William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
Youth Pride Services

DC Community Partners
The DC Center
Us Helping Us
Whitman-Walker Health
The National Coalition for LGBT Health.