Monday, May 30, 2011

Tyler area gays reaches out to youth - IT GETS BETTER!

On May 15th, Tyler area gays held its 3rd anniversary picnic. An event we hope to soon turn into a pride event for East Texas.

You may or may not know, but I am the leader of the film production club for project TAG (www.tylerareagays.com) 
For the picnic, I set up a booth where people could be filmed for Project TAG's "It Gets Better" video. Lots of people came and talked in front of the camera for LGBT youth everywhere, it was a fantastic experience getting to work with everyone and hear all these amazing story's.

The video has been published and has already reached 500 views! Which, for youtube standards isn't that many... But it makes me happy to know its being seen by people. 

I am only in it very briefly, but I did the filming and editing for the whole thing. Please watch, and feel free to let know what you think.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

10 ways to help me in Costa Rica


For those of you who don't know already, in July I will be traveling to Costa Rica with People to People as a student ambassador. We will be learning about Costa Rican culture, educating locals of our culture, doing lots of community service work, while spreading People to Peoples message of "peace through understanding".
So, now that your all caught up on that... Time for the good news and ways you can help.
MY TUITION IS PAID OFF!!!
I had to raise $5,000 to go on this trip, and with much fundraising and generous donations its all paid off. Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who donated and helped me in my fundraising efforts! I can't thank you enough or begin to express how happy this makes me (I almost thought I wasn't going to make it!!)
Now, here are ways you can help me help others.
I STILL need donations. Here are list of things you lend me or buy me for this trip. All donations are extremely appreciated! I only ask that you avoid products from animal testing company's.


1: MONEY
The most useful thing you can donate to me is money. While my tuition is paid off, there are still things I need to go out and buy for this trip (uniform pants, personal items, etc.) And of course, I'll need to have some money while I'm in Costa Rica. Every single cent counts, so whether you shoot $5 or $50 my way, I will be extremely grateful.


2: FILTERED WATER BOTTLE
I've been doing my research on water safety and such in Costa Rica... And I've decided I might as well be safe and get a filtered water bottle. This is the bottle I've picked out.
And here is a link to the filters I'll need
This is the bottle I've picked out, but if you know of one that works better by all means let me know!


3: BUG SPRAY
This is something I SERIOUSLY need for this trip. The diseases you can catch from mosquito's are INSANE and Costa Rica is a real buggy place. Here is a link to the bug spray I prefer:


4: SUNSCREEN
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a vampire a burn like crazy in the sun. This is a handy product I can carry with me.


5: TRANSLATOR
Pocket book translators just suck. They really do, I know from having to use them before. This thing will save me a lot of flipping through pages (and will save paper!). If you really want to get me something useful, THIS is it.


6: LAUNDRY DETERGENT
I will be hand washing ALL of my clothes in hotel bathtubs and sinks. This is the detergent I need,
English to Spanish phrase book


7: SD CARDS
Both my still camera and my video camera take SD cards. I take A LOT of pictures on trips like this and I plan on taking a ridiculous amount of video footage. It's impossible for me to have too many of these on my trip. This is a VERY useful thing to donate to me. Also, the more GB's they have, the better!


8: USB adaptor for Ipad/Ipod
Many of you have asked for me to keep you updated on where I am and what I am doing. With this little adaptor, I can upload pictures and video's onto my Ipad. Then, I can upload them to my blog or to facebook for all you guys to see.
I don't know how much internet access I'll have while I'm gone, but I promise to give everyone an update whenever I get the chance!


9: TRAVEL UMBRELLA
Ya know, one of those ones that folds up all tiny-like and fits into your suit case? Still need one of those. It's going to rain a lot, so this will be very useful to me.


10: SMALL CHEAP GIFTS
We will be spending time with children at an orphanage, and doing community service work with school kids and family's in a jungle village. I will also be having a homestay with a local family (I'll spend a few nights at their house).
Something very useful to give to me, are small cheap things I can give to these family's and kids... And leave as gifts for my homestay family. Here is what you can donate.
TEXAS QUARTERS - I can turn these into pins and hand them out. They were a big hit when I went to Europe, everyone loved them!
DECKS OF CARDS - Decks with the Texas Flag or American Flag on the back would be preferred.
BOOKMARKS - I handed out some bookmarks when I went to Europe and everyone loved them. Ones with Texas or American flags, or anything relating back to our country or the state of Texas would be preferred.
AMERICAN FLAG PINS
TEXAS FLAG PINS
And last but not least, our delegation is collecting Spanish language books to give to the children and family's in a jungle village we will be visiting. So, thats another useful thing to donate!
Please email me at madalyngrimm@yahoo.com if you would like to donate any of these items (including money) to me, please email me first to let me know so we can work it all out.
If something major I only need one of (like the translator) is donated, I'll be sure to take it off the list.
Thank you so much for all your support, it means the world to me.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

A commercial made me cry today

I know I know, its been forever since I've updated this thing but I figure its time I get crackin' again. I've got a lot to ramble about but for the moment I'd like to talk about what just aired on television.

You may or may not have heard of the "It gets better project". If not, please take a look at this link http://www.itgetsbetter.org

Today during an episode of the show "Glee" (a show I am a giant fan of) Google chrome aired a commercial promoting the it gets better project. Take a look at the commercial here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7skPnJOZYdA

All I could think the whole time watching this, was how absolutely beautiful it was. Something like this airing on national television... I think it really goes to show that the future of gay youth is looking bright and pretty, which means the gay community as a whole is moving up in the world.

I find it sad that so frequently, we shut out others for being different. But what I think is worse, is the way we shut out ourselves. We all have this image of who we want to be. The rockstar. The popular kid. The ladies man. And for some, all they want is "normal", whatever that may be. But who we want to be and who we are, are often two entirely different things. You hear it all the time, people encouraging others to be the person they want to be. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with personal growth and achieving goals. However, it bothers me that I don't hear people encouraging others to simply accept who they are as is more often.
Being gay or transgendered has been considered a "flaw" or an "abnormality" for so long. Lets be serious, everyone is a little bit gay. There is a very large population of LGBTQ people in the world. And not only that, but even many straight people have had gay thoughts or experiences. Far more then you might think (and just because some might deny it doesn't mean its not true) if anything, being LGBTQ is a normal thing.
Seeing a commercial air like that gives me hope that more people may be getting that through their heads.

I plan on dedicating a large part of my life to fighting for gay rights, and helping LGBT youth. I've grown up queer in a part of the country where anything outside of a scene from the stepford wives is socially unacceptable. Had I seen something like the It gets better project when I was 13 and had just come out to myself, I would have spent much less time slamming my head against the wall and more time learning to love myself.

Tonight, I sit and wonder how many gay, trans, bisexual, and questioning kids and teens saw that little commercial and realized they aren't alone in this. That there are people in the world who care, who they can talk to. That they are perfect, just the way they are.

The concept of the google chrome commercial was beautiful. "The web is what you make of it". It shows that all people can make an impact on anything. It shows people who have made an impact. People like to complain all the time that the internet is eating the minds of everyone who uses it. truthfully, the internet has given us an opportunity like no other to save lives. To give support. To receive support. To open up to ourselves and to others. We ALL now have communication with the world like we never have before in all of history. The web is what you make of it.


Big thanks to google and the it gets better project for airing that commercial tonight. It gives me hope that maybe, someday, people wont be so afraid to talk about these things like they are now.

-CS