GALAS Lgbtq+ Armenian Society

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GALAS Lgbtq+ Armenian Society

The Gay And Lesbian Armenian Society is a nonprofit organization that seeks to serve and unite LGBTQ people of Armenian descent in Los Angeles and beyond.

06/01/2023

In a recent "Los Angeles Blade" article about parents planning to protest a Pride event at Saticoy Elementary School, GALAS responded:
“Identities are formed at a very young age. It is critical to have expansive and inclusive language within schools that depict how different our identities, family structures and lives can be and how that is okay. LGBTQ+ children face a disproportionate amount of challenges, with amplified feelings of isolation and loneliness during teenage years. The inclusion of LGBTQ+ voices is a matter of saving lives; it is a matter of presenting children with critical support, rather than barriers, toward flourishing into healthy adults."

GALAS supports educators and students, and condemns efforts to intimidate the LGBTQ+ community.

The article is linked via Linktree in our profile.

05/30/2023

In light of the recent anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in Los Angeles area schools, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society, Somos Familia Valle, and glendaleOUT, express our collective concern at the spread of homophobic and transphobic sentiments, and we call attention to the importance of our collective need for safety and action.

Parents of students in various schools are protesting the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content within school programming and curricula. These acts are directly harming LGBTQ+ students and the larger LGBTQ+ community, while undermining the responsibility of schools to provide a safe and supportive environment for all diverse students and families.

As LGBTQ+ community organizations, we have been doing the local work of advocating for the equal treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals for decades. We know the harm that these attacks will cause today and in the future, endangering our students and reinforcing discrimination faced by all marginalized communities.

LGBTQ+ people exist in all cultures and communities. Our treatment as equal and contributing citizens is not a subject of discussion, but a civil right that was fought for and gained through brave and exemplary LGBTQ+ activism.

School curriculum should continue to be inclusive and celebrate the diverse lived experiences of all students rather than erasing references to LGBTQ+ people. Denying the existence of LGBTQ+ people harms all students by reinforcing the dangerous misconception that everybody’s lived experiences are all identical.

Right now, students are seeing an organized movement against an already disenfranchised community. If we care about what they are learning and seeing, we need to showcase respect, acceptance, and celebration of our differences.

We are in full support of our public schools' acknowledgement of diverse families and acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ identities. We ask our community members and allies to push for safer and welcoming schools for all students to be seen.

05/27/2023

CELEBRATE PRIDE WITH GALAS!
🌈🧿🌈🧿🌈🧿🌈🧿🌈🧿🌈
Walk in the parades with us and/or bring your blankets for picnics! Make sure to RSVP (link in bio) to receive details and info. Can’t wait to see you!! ❤️🇦🇲🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

05/23/2023

GALAS Board President Erik Adamian recently spoke with ’ Jasmine Mithani about a proposal to add a new Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ethnicity category to the U.S. Census, and how efforts to study and develop programs for LGBTQ+ Armenians are limited by the lack of accurate demographic information.

“'That level of, like, going out there and capturing information from people who may not even have heard of GALAS, that is something that we have started working on,' Adamian said. 'However, with information that could be captured in the Census, that would provide us with another layer of information that’s going to inform our work in a more nuanced way, and in a more targeted way.'”

Please find the article in the Linktree account linked in our Instagram profile.

05/18/2023

Happy Pride!

Join GALAS during Pride Month. We’ll be participating in the WeHo Pride Parade on Saturday, June 4th and the LA Pride Parade on Sunday, June 11th. Bring a blanket and some snacks and find us at the D**e Day LA Picnic on Saturday, June 10th and at Glendale's Pride in the Park on Saturday, June 17th.

Stay tuned for updates on how to find us at each event.

05/16/2023

Join us for a night of art and music by and for LGBTQ+ Armenians and allies. This evening will be a community art mart and party with vendors, performers, poets, djs, and more!

Link to book in bio! ❤️‍🔥

vendors: @‌arpadraws @‌snugbug.222 @‌andyu4ia

04/19/2023

✨A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Armenians 🇦🇲🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
May 5th at 6pm | Location provided upon RSVP

Join us for an open conversation with GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society and the Glendale Community College community. This panel featuring the GALAS Board and community members will explore the inception of the organization, the experiences of LGBTQ+ Armenians, ongoing resources and support programs, and ways to best build allyship with the LGBTQ+ Armenian community. Panelists include Erik Adamian, Lousine Shamamian, and Eden Sarkissian. The panel will be moderated by Hoover Zariani. RSVP is required for attendance. Link in bio!

04/04/2023

Please join GALAS in a celebration of Armenian culture, history and heritage at Glendale's Central Library. This year’s theme is "Origins: A Celebration of Armenian Artists, Creators, and Inventors Who Have Made an Impact on the World!"

The event will take place on Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 10:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

03/29/2023

has been named ’s first Poet Laureate.

Following a grassroots call from a citizen of Glendale, the request of Mayor Ardy Kassakhian, and the approval of the City Council, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture created the City’s first Poet Laureate program and requested applications from resident poets. The selection panel was comprised of Arts & Culture Commissioner Sevana Zadorian, Los Angeles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson, Poet and Founder of The Los Angeles Press Linda Ravenswood, and Poet and Instructor at Glendale Community College Julie Gamberg.

Wartanian was selected as Glendale’s first Poet Laureate in recognition of his accomplishments in poetry and his vision for the “Glendale Poet Laureate as someone who can utilize writing to promote self-expression, find common ground across communities, and foster solidarity that celebrates diversity while embracing individuality.”

He has written extensively about the intersections between Armenian and LGBTQ+ identities, most notably in his groundbreaking 2017 article, “Homosexuality and Armenian Genocide Advocacy,” wherein he calls for respect, tolerance, and inclusion of all Armenians.

03/14/2023

GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society is honored to have hosted a panel conversation with Armenia-based transgender activist Lilit Martirosyan (), Founder and President of Right Side NGO () and her colleague, Alisa.

This critical panel conversation explored the trans advocacy work that Lilit and the Right Side NGO team have been doing in Armenia. We also discussed what intentional allyship looks like in our community, and exchanged knowledge and resources for trans Armenians within Los Angeles and beyond.

GALAS President of the Board of Directors, Erik Adamian presented Right Side NGO President Lilit Martirosyan with a Certificate of Partnership, and the two organizations vowed to deepen their cooperation.

The event took place on Sunday, March 5th, 6:30pm at Glendale’s Central Library ().

The event was attended by an estimated 60 individuals. Notable attendees included State Senator Anthony Portantino (); Burbank City Councilmember Nikki Perez (); Glendale City Councilmember Dan Brotman (); West Hollywood City Councilmember John Heilman (); Glendale Board of Education member Shant Sahakian () ; and Los Angeles Board of Education member Rocio Rivas ().

Senator Anthony Portantino graciously presented both GALAS and Right Side NGO with Certificates of Recognition.

The event was presented with the support of the City of Glendale’s Library, Arts & Culture Department; Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian (); and Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Assistant Director Nicole Pasini.

01/27/2023

📚 GALAS 2023 Academic Scholarships application is now open! Submit your application by February 28, 2023. 📚

GALAS’ academic scholarships have served as a critical resource for the LGBTQ+ Armenian community. We offer two scholarships:

GALAS Academic Scholarship - $1,000 USD

This scholarship is for undergraduate or graduate students of Armenian descent who have demonstrated LGBTQ+ activism.

Nyrie Sevan Gharibian Scholarship - $1,000 USD

This scholarship is in memory of late artist, activist, and GALAS community member Nyrie S. Gharibian. Preference will be given to undergraduate and graduate-level college students of Armenian descent in the fields of Arts and Education.

There is one application for both scholarships. All applicants will be automatically considered for both scholarships. Due to logistical limitations, only students attending school in the United States will be able to apply. However, you do not need to be a US citizen to apply.

Applications are due by February 28, 2023. Recipients will be announced in March.

01/24/2023

Last Sunday, GALAS cuties took to the mountains for a refreshing hike! We were thrilled to partner with SoCal LGBTQ+ Explorers, and to be joined by Burbank Mayor Konstantin Anthony for this adventure. Join us at the next one!

Address

8721 Santa Monica Boulevard, # 654
West Hollywood, CA
90069

Telephone

+13102031587

Website

http://www.galasla.org/

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