Short Film Feature: Iranian, Gay & Seeking Asylum

June 20 is World Refugee Day

June is Pride Month all over the world. Yesterday, the United Nations (UN) through the UN Human Rights Council, after years and years of disagreement and hesitations, has finally adopted a resolution in Geneva, Switzerland to extend the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the members of the LGBT communities around the world. Thanks to the leadership of Brazil and South Africa along with 39 other co-signatory countries like Argentina, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Spain, Timor-Leste, UK, and USA just to name a few.

In particular, the historic UN Resolution requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights "to prepare a study on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and call for a panel discussion to be held at the Human Rights Council (in Geneva) to discuss the findings of the study." 

The U.N. Human Rights Council approved, by a vote of 23 to 19 with three abstentions, a South African text expressing grave and immediate concern about abuses and discrimination suffered by people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 
In light of that, here's the story of two Iranian gay men as they start life anew in the U.K. as refugees after their partners were put to death by the Iranian Government because of their sexuality. In Iran, like more than 70 other countries in the world, homosexuality is still punishable by death.

Nominee, Best Short Documentary at the Phoenix Film Festival
Winner, Best LGBT Short Film at The New York Short Film Festival
Directed, Shot, & Produced by Glen Milner

Everyday Heroes: Principal Angelo Milicia's Graceful Exit

Philadelphia's acclaimed Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) has found a hero to save its budget woes and ultimately its future. The school's principal of 16 years, Dr. Angelo Milicia, has decided to step down and avail of an early retirement to save the school $180,000 that would save the jobs of two music teachers and replenish GAMP's operations budget.

 

GAMP High School Jazz Band

 "Here's a man who makes a sacrifice for the students that he loves. That's amazing...You can't get any better than that." 

- Ja'Sonia Hinton, GAMP fresh graduate of Batch 2011, as told to Valerie Russ of the Philadelphia Inquirer

GAMP is a unique magnet secondary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania first established in 1974. It started as a music-centered academic program within the Stephan Girard School in South Philadelphia that eventually evolved into an independent institution with all of its students from grades 5 to 12 as "music majors." 

Milicia, 62, spent 17 years as a teacher and 24 years as a principal in the South Philadelphia school district where GAMP belongs. He understands the scarcity of public funds for schools especially for a specialized school like GAMP. This academic year alone, the budget for the school district was cut up to 28% forcing some programs to be streamlined and some Advanced Placement Courses to be dropped.  

Now, how's that for a graceful exit? 

To READ MORE about our hero, visit www.philly.com.

In Memoriam: Passing of the Torch

A tireless crusader, an inspiration to many, a dedicated mother, a supportive wife, and the great woman behind the Canadian hero, Terry Fox. 

Betty Fox (R) with Terry (L).

Read and watch videos here: IN MEMORIAM 

Short Film Feature: Highest Job Promotion

Do what you love and love what you do.

This is a charming story of one man's last day at work as he begins to step up the ladder and move on to a new job.

Not Your Ordinary Sk8ter

June is Pride Month for the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/Transsexual, Queer & Questioning Youth) Community. In the recent spate of bullying-related youth suicides in the United States, positive stories that inspire and empower young people are more than welcome and in fact much needed than ever. Awareness initiatives and support networks organized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), NOH8 Campaign by Adam Boustka, the Dan Savage-initiated "It Gets Better Project" videos,  the TREVOR Project, and many more organizations like GLAAD are becoming stronger and more creative than ever. 

Also, notable personalities like recent Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser M.D. and How I Met Your Mother), Sir Ian McKellen (Yes, he's Magneto and Gandalf the Grey), the first lesbian world leader and Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, and Academy Award-winner and HBO's True Blood lead, Anna Paquin have all contributed to the debunking of stereotypes and labels about gays and other members of the LGBTQ.  

Skateboarder extraordinaire, Hillary Thompson

If you've seen the amazing movies "Grind" and "Lords of Dogtown" about the skateboarding culture, you'll understand that great skills matter more than anything else. Here's the story of 23-year old transsexual skateboarder Hillary Thompson and her interview profile with skateboarding world's King Shit Magazine:      

June 20 is World Refugee Day

The Mistake That Made A Winner

It's not Pingu. It's not the promo for the upcoming "Happy Feet 2." It's not even one of Jim Carrey's line-dancing penguins in "Mr. Popper's Penguins," which will hit major theaters soon. It's just a penguin or the penguin in the artist's mind's eye.

This beautiful work of art is currently on display at London's much sought-after and exceedingly selective Saatchi Gallery after hurdling a rigorous selection process that involved 1,700 other entries. 

London's contemporary art house, the Saatchi Art Gallery: 

Rebekah Poulain, the artist's mother, admitted that it was her mistake that led to the painting's recognition. She told the British newspaper, The Sun that she originally meant to upload a photo online and by happenstance she unknowingly posted her daughter's painting in a public page that automatically entered it in a national arts competition. A year after, she got an email from contest organizers informing her that her daughter's painting won an arts contest. 

Rebekah thinks she's an idiot but her daughter thinks it's brilliant. And now, the painting hangs in a prestigious art gallery alongside prominent artists like Damien Hirst. 

Although the artist may not have a full grasp of the whole thing and the hoopla surrounding her innocent penguin painting, she's still liking it. "Does this mean I'm famous?" she asks the reporter. 

What do you think? Do you want to see whose magical hands painted the now famous penguin? 

Get to know her HERE...