Retreats for solace
CHARLOTTE — “Embracing Your Call,” a retreat for LGBT Christians in the spirit of St. Ignatius, will be held on April 10 from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 507 S. Tryon St. This event will feature prayer and end with Mass.
People of all faiths are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Cost is free.
To register, email retreat4GL@gmail.com.
The Diocesan Ministry for Gay & Lesbian Catholics is the sponsor.
The group will also have a dinner on April 24 at 5:30 p.m. Location is unavailable at press time.
Menina named Red Pump ambassador
CHARLOTTE — JSW Media Group reported that its event manager, Brittani Menina, has been selected by The Red Project Collective as Charlotte’s 2010 Red Pump ambassador. The Red Project Collective is the umbrella organization for The Red Pump Project, a national initiative to raise awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls, ensuring that women are empowered with accurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding it. Currently, there are 40 ambassadors in 20 states.
Menina played an instrumental role in the coordination of the first Red Pump Project event in the Carolinas. The Red Pump/Red Tie Affair, a holiday gala and awards ceremony, was held in Charlotte, on Dec. 1, 2009, to commemorate World AIDS Day.
“I’m glad to have Brittani on board as a Red Pump ambassador because she has such passion for the work we do,” Luvvie Ajayi, co-founder of The Red Project Collective, said in a release. “She has already proven herself to be a valuable person to have on the team; the work she did to execute the Red Pump /Red Tie Affair was so impressive!”
The announcement was significant because March 10 is recognized as National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). In honor of NWGHAAD, Menina hosted “Pump Up the Awareness: Let’s Talk,” a round table discussion on the campus of Johnson & Wales University. Guests also had the opportunity to sign up for Team Red Pump which will participate in Charlotte’s AIDS Walk on May 1.
For more information, visit www.theredpumpproject.com.
This article appears in the March 20-April 2 print edition.