Date: Sun, 22 May 94 08:11:30 EDT
From: GMAD@aol.com

HOW WE GOT HERE: The History

Incorporation/corporate purpose. 
On May 12, 1989, the members of GMAD took a formal vote to form a non-profit
corporation and to pursue federal tax exemption. During that same election,
they selected a board of nine directors, including an executive director and
a deputy director, to lead the organization. In October 1990, Gay Men of
African Descent, Inc., was incorporated as a legal entity in New York State.

In the formal documents of incorporation submitted to the State, GMAD's
purpose as a not-for-profit corporation is laid out as follows:
3. The corporation is formed to conduct activitiesxfor the purpose of
providing emotional and psychological support to lesbians and gay men of
color, disseminating accurate information on HIV infection, safer sexual
behavior and other general health issues and to promote the growth and
development of the lesbian and gay community.
In furtherance, but not in limitation of the foregoingxthe corporation shall:
a. Plan and implement programs projects and activities in cooperation and in
coordination with governmental agencies, educational and philanthropic
foundations and other community organizations to provide greater information
on HIV and STD infection as well as safer sexual practices and general sexual
hygiene;
b. Engage in activities aimed at improving the self image of lesbians and gay
men and to provide support and assist in efforts to expand the
community-oriented social activities available to lesbians and gay men of
color.
c. Disseminate information to aid, support and assist in efforts to prevent
or reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
d. Encourage, foster and assist increased participation on the part of
lesbians and gay men of color in the planning and execution of various
economic development and community improvement programs which impact upon
the lesbian and gay community of color.
e. Disseminate information to lesbians and gay men of color on a variety of
subjects essential to the well being of our community including, but not
limited to, housing, tenants rights, crime prevention and domestic rights.
f. Engage in any and all lawful activities which will directly and indirectly
improve the social and economic conditions under which most lesbian and gay
men of color live; and
g. Conduct any and all lawful activities which may be necessary useful or
desirable for the furtherance, accomplishment or attainment of the foregoing
purposes.
Certificate of Incorporation of Gay Men of African Descent, Inc, under
Section 402 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law; July 23, 1990

In April of 1992, GMAD was recognized by the federal government as a
tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue
Code.


Mission statement.
In early 1988, with the expansion of the Calendar, GMAD developed a
consistent short statement to describe the organization to the world - "a
support group of Black Gay Men dedicated to consciousness raising and the
development of the Lesbian and Gay community." "HIV/AIDS prevention/
education" was added after "consciousness raising" in April 1991. (In
mid-1990 varying language indicating that GMAD included men of African
descent/men of color of different ethnicities also began to appear alongside
the mission statement.

On January 11, 1992, in a 7 1/2-hour session, GMAD's board of directors, its
seven elected officers, and four GMAD members (two chosen by the P&P
committee and two chosen by the Harambee! committee) jointly developed our
current mission statement:
Gay Men of African Descent, a supportive organization dedicated to addressing
the needs of our community, focuses on advocacy, health, education and
consciousness raising. We are committed to fighting racism, sexism and
homophobia, while creating nurturing environments that affirm, celebrate and
empower Gay men of African descent in all our diversity.

AIDS fundraising/Staffing.
Starting in 1989 with the Lifestyles Genesis Learning Series program, over
the past four and a half years GMAD has submitted requests for HIV-related
funds totaling over $1.1 million to over a dozen corporate, foundation and
government sources. "GMAD is a unique organization in the HIV/AIDS service
provider community with an unparalleled capacity to access and respond to its
target constituency and a special sensitivity in assessing its needs," Ronald
Johnson, New York City's current AIDS Policy Coordinator, wrote in 1992.

In October 1991, GMAD's board of directors approved the creation of the
organization's first paid staff position. That position was eventually filled
by Aljernon Tunsil in March 1993, supported by a grant from the New York City
AIDS Fund. In 1991, GMAD also began planning an ambitious proposal to create
a staffed HIV prevention, mental health and hotline/referral program which
would require six staff, including a Director of the organization. In 1993,
GMAD's board agreed to seek funds to hire an Executive Director.


WHERE WE WANT TO GO: The Program

Overview. 
Outlined below is a concrete, realizable plan for GMAD's work over the next
two years. GMAD has the ability to raise around $300,000 (over half of it is
already in the pipeline) over a relatively short period of time, which would
enable us to significantly expand our capacity to provide support, services
and advocacy for Gay men of African descent. Despite well-documented needs,
our ability as Gay men of African descent to compete for attention and
services or to advocate for our community's needs is consistently limited by
our lack of developed organizational structures.

Consistent with GMAD's mission, the focus of the project will be on health,
education, and political empowerment, and it build on and include all of
GMAD's current activities. There are five key components to the project:
1) providing safe spaces for Gay men of African descent to gather, to grow
and to meet each other
2) HIV prevention workshops focused on learning from and supporting each
other
3) sensitive, affordable mental health services, counseling and support
groups to help deal with the problems of life
4) helping Gay men of African descent get information and find services, and
making sure these providers serve them well
5) creating visibility and attention for Gay men of African descent and our
concerns.

1) Weekly support and education forums (our Friday night meetings by another
name).
A range of weekly activities - discussions, exercises, panel presentations,
etc., not necessarily limited to Friday nights - focused on health and
wellbeing, sex and sexuality, identity, lifestyle, community, spirituality,
politics and culture. About every other month, social, recreational or
cultural events will also take place. Activities will be planned by P&P,
supported by staff. Presenters will be both "experts" and peers. Each meeting
will include announcements and written material about community programs and
resources, and a social hour with refreshments. Condoms and lube will be
available free at every activity.

Some of these activities will be located in neighborhoods outside lower
Manhattan where gay men of African descent live.

2) HIV/STD prevention.
A workshop will be built around the videotape Party which GMAD produced with
AIDSFILMS last January. The workshop will be offered monthly to up to ten
participants at a time, and men can attend the workshop as often as they
like. The workshop will focus on both teaching information and building
skills. Participants will be encouraged to share the challenges they face
maintaining safe behavior and the things that help them do so. Issues
addressed will include drug and alcohol use, sexual situations and types of
partners that trigger unsafe behavior, negotiation skills, safer sex with a
lover, and safer sex for HIV+ partners. Ongoing support networks around
staying safe  will be set up, including support groups (see below).

Participants in the workshop will be trained and paid to facilitate it for
GMAD; and encouraged to present it independently in the community. The
videotape and the workshop and training materials will be distributed free to
grassroots Black Gay organizations, AIDS educators, and Black social service
organizations nationally, along with telephone assistance.

3) Mental health services.
A list of professionally qualified and culturally sensitive mental health
providers will be compiled, including information on their location,
race/ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, licensing, clinical approach,
cost and how they handle insurance, and intake procedures. An assessment and
referral program for men in GMAD who need services will be started, and
relationships developed so providers offer GMAD clients services at a reduced
fee, on a sliding scale or through some other flexible payment program. Men
with no means of payment but who need services will be subsidized by GMAD.

Using both paid consultants and volunteers as facilitators, weekly drop-in
support groups will be offered free for individuals, couples and family
members confronting a range of life issues, e.g. relationship issues,
substance use/addiction, bereavement, "coming out," sex, day-to-day living
issues, or any stressful life event. Groups will meet at times and in places
that provide both confidentiality and convenience.

GMAD staff and a small number of peer counselors will be trained as HIV
antibody test counselors and provide free, one-on-one counseling as well as
workshops on testing. Counseling will demystify the chemical process of HIV
antibody testing and will stress decisionmaking and planning skills. Men will
be able to return for counseling after being tested and while awaiting test
results, when strategies for coping with anxiety will be addressed.
Post-results counseling sessions will address linkages to health care and
support services, disclosure and insurance issues.

4) Helping people get information and services.
GMAD's staff and volunteers will gather information on services and resources
that are targeted, relevant or sensitive to Gay men of African descent into a
simple, attractive, user-friendly resource directory in both print and
electronic formats. The directory will include sections on how to choose and
access services; self-advocacy, complaint procedures and client rights;
entitlements; and services available for immigrants. The directory will be
free and distributed widely. Other plans include beginning a telephone
"helpline," offering support, information and referrals; and piloting a small
advocacy and legal services program for men experiencing problems with the
system.

Training sessions, involving both GMAD staff and volunteers, will be
conducted for City agencies and community organizations to sensitize them to
the needs of Gay men of African descent and to exchange information on
developing programs.

An annual "wellness" fair will feature products, print information, videos,
seminars, workshops, demonstrations and self-evaluation exercises covering a
range of strategies for maintaining and enhancing health.

The Calendar will be expanded into a six-page publication (including
announcements of other events and services, job listings, and entertaining,
informational or opinion pieces on different issues relevant to Gay men of
African descent), and its distribution will be increased to 2,000 copies,
through bars, bathhouses, bookstores, bulletin boards, college campuses,
community centers, community organizations, dance clubs, health fairs,
HIV/AIDS organizations, legislators' offices, outreach tables, parades,
parties, social events, street fairs and all GMAD activities.

5) Political advocacy & community organizing.
GMAD's staff, board and volunteers will build visibility for and
responsiveness to Gay men of African descent and their interests, through
private lobbying and public actions, representation on advisory and
decisionmaking bodies, participation in coalitions, use of the news media,
meetings and consultations, community education and organizing, public
testimony, policy documents, and other forms of advocacy. GMAD will become a
widely recognized representative and advocate for Gay men of African descent
and the organization will be regularly quoted or consulted on issues of
relevance to our community. GMAD staff will develop relationships with
government officials, funders, service organizations, news media, and with
advocates and community leaders involved with Lesbian/Gay, Black political,
civil rights, immigrant, disability, recovery, neighborhood organizing,
housing/homeless, school system and HIV/AIDS issues.
GMAD's active constituent base will be expanded, and programs will be created
to educate Gay men of African descent on community, legislative and policy
issues, and to develop our civic participation, grassroots organizing and
advocacy skills. Interactive sessions will educate men on a range of issues -
from the histories and strategies of the Civil Rights and Lesbian and Gay
Liberation and other social change movements to liberation politics to the
mechanics of government and how to lobby. Other sessions will explore
particular legislation or policy questions, breaking the issues down, and
using GMAD's constituents' real-life experiences and opinions to guide the
organization in formulating policy positions. A system to mobilize calls,
letters and actions in response to issues will be developed, using our
membership rolls, mailing lists, the monthly Calendar mailing and our weekly
meetings. The Calendar will routinely include information and updates on
political issues and on advocacy.

GMAD will attempt to meet with every elected official representing New York
City or with the official's primary staff (especially key health and
appropriations legislative staff and Black and Latino elected officials) and
with agency administrators at City, State and federal levels. Lobbying
bustrips will be organized, e.g., to Albany for AIDS Awareness Day, or to
Washington, DC. 

GMAD will organize and participate in various public activities and campaigns
which bring visibility to Gay men of African descent, e.g., the Lesbian and
Gay Pride Day parade and the African American Freedom Day parade in Harlem.

GMAD will consult and advocate with researchers, service providers and
government planners regarding services for Gay men of African descent,
focusing on such issues as immigration and health care services for immigrant
Gay men; substance use among Gay men of African descent; and access to and
information on HIV-related treatments, including experimental and holistic
therapies.

Contact information for GMAD was in the job posting: Gay Men of African
Descent, 666 Broadway: Ste. 520, New York, NY 10012-2317. (212) 420-0773; FAX
982-3321.