Soy Latinoamerica
Monday April 7th, 2014 with Alejandro Hernandez
The International Day of Pink and the 18th Latin American Film Festival

What will YOU be wearing? April 9th, 2014 http://www.dayofpink.org/ The International Day of Pink is a Canadian anti-bullying event held annually on the second Wednesday of April. The day started when a bullying victim —a Grade 9 boy at Central Kings Rural High School in the small community of Cambridge (Canada)— wore a pink polo shirt on his first day of school. David Shepherd and Travis Price decided to spread word of their 'sea of pink' campaign on the internet (Source: CBC). Bullies harassed the boy, called him a homosexual for wearing pink, and threatened to beat him up, according to some students. Two Grade 12 students— David Shepherd and Travis Price—heard the news and decided to take action. "I just figured enough was enough," said Shepherd. They went to a nearby discount store and bought 50 pink shirts, including tank tops, to wear to school the next day. Then the two went online to e-mail classmates to get them on board with their anti-bullying cause that they dubbed a "sea of pink." But a tsunami of support poured in the next day. Not only were dozens of students outfitted with the discount tees, but hundreds of students showed up wearing their own pink clothes, some head-to-toe. When the bullied student, who has never been identified, walked into school to see his fellow students decked out in pink, some of his classmates said it was a powerful moment. The International Day of Pink initiative inspired youth volunteers at Jer's Vision who founded The International Day of Pink, in an effort to support their peers internationally with resources and ways to make their schools safer. Jer's Vision, is run by youth volunteers from Ottawa, Canada. Jer's Vision Presents: Day of Pink Gala 2014 When: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 - 6:00pm Location: 440 Albert Street Cost: FREE The event will feature: Carol Todd (Amanda Todd Legacy), Gavin Crawford (this hour has 22 min), among others. The Gala includes a reception and an amazing award show featuring prominent figures who have been active in LGBTQ rights advocacy in Canada. BreakOut BreakFree will be making it's debut, in support of anti-bullying with the focus on the LGBT community. This year's Day of Pink holds special significance for Canada; it is the 45th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality, the 9th anniversary of Jer's Vision, and the 5th anniversary of the Day of Pink. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Canada are some of the most advanced in the Americas and in the world. ​The rights of LGBT Canadians are now as well protected as those of other Canadians largely due to several court decisions decided under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that was included in the Constitution of Canada in 1982, with Section 15 coming into effect in 1985. Jer's Vision will also be having a silent auction filled with items donated by friendly organizations across Ottawa. For example, Olivia Chow, candidate for Mayor in the upcoming Toronto elections, past Member of Parliament for the NDP, and past City Councillor, has donated a signed copy of her book, My Journey, to the silent auction at the upcoming#DayofPink Gala on April 9th! There are a limited number of seats, so make sure that your family and friends RSVP@jersvision.org to reserve their spots!