Teatro Milagro Set To Host Bilingual Workshops About LGBT Issues

Journeys - Bilingual workshops aimed at breaking barriers on social taboos and raising sexual health awareness, in partnership with Multnomah County HIV/Hep C Community Programs

When: Friday, August 21, 2009 - Friday, September 4, 2009
Where: Various locations throughout Portland - see below
Admission: FREE - made possible though grant support from the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Multicultural Education
More information: Molly Franks, Multnomah County HIV/Hep C Community Programs, 503-988-3030 *25677 or molly.c.franks@co.multnomah.or.us

Teatro Milagro has a successful history of using theatre as a medium for health promotion and social change.

Within the Latino community, men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2007, MSM represented over 70 percent of new HIV infections among Latinos in Multnomah County. This parallels patterns in other ethnic groups. A major barrier to effective education and prevention is the stigma associated with being gay. Homophobia often leads to isolation and hopelessness among gay and bisexual Latinos, contributing to risky sexual and substance use behavior. As a strategy for promoting sexual health and eliminating HIV, the Multnomah County Health Department is promoting more open discussion among Latinos of sexuality and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.

Through a partnership with Teatro Milagro and Multnomah County HIV/HepC Community Programs, a series of workshops focused on breaking barriers of silence and social taboos will offer participating community groups resources to promote sexual well-being and support for LGBT Latinos and their families. Six community events will be scheduled over the next month, beginning with an appearance at the Intercultural Community Gathering from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at Overlook Park in North Portland. The next workshop will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2009 at Ecumenical Ministries HIV Day Center (2941 NE Ainsworth) in collaboration with Portland Latino Gay Pride. The following workshop will be at the Ortiz Community Center of Villa Clara Vista (6706 NE Killingsworth St.) on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Then on Friday, August 28, 2009 beginning at 6 p.m., there will be an open mic presentation following a Journeys workshop that will showcase some of the participants' work at SMYRC (Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center) at its new location (3024 N.E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.). The remaining events will be scheduled for the first week in September.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Dañel Malán, Artistic Director, co-founded the Miracle Theatre with her husband, José Eduardo González and in 1989 she created the bilingual-touring program, Teatro Milagro, which presents original plays and bilingual residencies. Under her artistic direction, Ms. Malán has created and produced over 20 original bilingual plays that have toured throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. As a playwright her recent works include ZAPATISTA (2008) the story of Subcomandante Marcos and the EZLN movement and FRIDA, un retablo (2007), a surrealist vision of one of Mexico's greatest artist.

Joaquín López, Musical Composer & Workshop Instructor, holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Arts from Southern Oregon University, studied vocal performance at the Los Angeles Music Academy and has training in classical music through his work with Diane Harris. He has written and performed for DanceGatherer Dance Company, The Haven Project, Viva La Cultura and Artists Repertory Theatre. In 2008, he founded Portland Folk Project, which creates and records the folk songs of Portland area students.

ABOUT MIRACLE THEATRE GROUP

For more than 25 years, the Miracle Theatre Group has been dedicated to bringing the vibrancy of Latino theatre to the Northwest community. In 1988, Dañel Malán, co-founder, developed the bilingual company Teatro Milagro as a touring program to reach diverse and underserved communities in the Northwest, particularly those with large Latino populations, and since that time the program has grown into a national touring company. Since its inception, Teatro Milagro has enhanced the livability of Northwest communities by collaborating with human and social service organizations that wish to use the performing arts to address issues of their concern. For more information about the Miracle Theatre Group, visit www.milagro.org or call 503-236-7253.

ABOUT MULTNOMAH COUNTY HIV/HEP C COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

This department of bilingual health education specialists works to prevent the spread of HIV/STDs and hepatitis C by helping people with HIV/AIDS to receive the services they need. Their outreach efforts include educating, counseling and testing those at highest risk for acquiring and/or transmitting HIV, STDs, and viral hepatitis. Services are provided to low-income people in community based settings in the Portland metro area.