21 year old University of Arizona political science student Daniel Hernandez Jr. is a gay “reluctant hero”, pictured on the February 2011 issue of ‘n touch, a LGBT news magazine published in Phoenix. This is their 79th issue covering current events and issues affecting the gay lesbian bi-sexual transgendered communities in Arizona.
Topic areas in the magazine cover Local News, Politics, Business, Feature Articles, Ethics, Pets, and Focus Tucson.

There’s an article on page 6 about Daniel, the brave intern of Congressmember Giffords’ office who courageously ran towards the shots on January 8, to assist Gabby. Apparently he cradled her head in his arms as he stopped the bleeding from her head wound, caused by gunfire from suspect Jared Lee Loughner. Daniel has been called a hero by many, and attended President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 25 in Washington, D.C. He also spoke at the Memorial service at the University of Arizona’s McKale Center on January 12. Daniel serves on the City of Tucson’s GLBT Commission and is LD 28 House Rep. Steve Farley‘s campaign manager.

Click here to read the online version of this issue.

Also in this issue is an update on Wingspan (on page 48) by Linda Thomas, program director. Wingspan LGBT advocacy center is mostly volunteer run now, and is located at 430 E. 7th Street (between 3rd and 4th Avenues), phone 520-624-1779, www.wingspan.org. They recently held a senior forum hosted by Pima Council on Aging, to provide information specific to LBGT seniors & their partners.

Wingspan provides an array of social and community services including

* Information and Referral Services provides information about local community resources, groups, activities and events.
* Anti-Violence Project offers crisis intervention and support services to victims of violence and education to the community about these issues.
* Eon Youth Program provides emotional support, social and educational activities, substance abuse prevention, homeless services, and leadership training to youth ages 13-23.
* Health and Wellness provides outreach and information to community members on health disparities while training health providers on LGBT cultural competency issues.
* Senior Pride offers peer-support and social and recreational opportunities for LGBT seniors while also educating service providers about the specific needs of this population.
* Southern Arizona Gender Alliance offers information, support services and social opportunities for transgender people while educating businesses and health and human services providers about transgender issues.
* Advocacy and Public Policy engages the LGBT and allied community in grassroots, community-based social action while strengthening community coalitions and collaborations.
* Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors) provides social and outreach programming that promotes positive awareness for Latino LGBT people.
* Wingspan FilmFest shows high-quality LGBT-themed films representing the diversity of our community that otherwise would not be screened in Southern Arizona.
* Community Space including a free lending library, computer center, and meeting rooms.

Also on page 47 of this February issue are photos of Tucsonans at the Wingspan Night Thing Party on New Year’s Eve, 2010. I recognized Mayor Bob Walkup and his wife Beth, LD 29 Rep. Matt Heinz, Pima County deputy attorney Brad Holland, Southern Arizona Aids Foundation Executive Director Wendell Hicks, and lots of other revelers.

This magazine advertises itself as “Your LGBT News Authority”, and is complimentary on newstands in Tucson and across Arizona. For more information contact Editor/publisher Gina Read at info@ntouchaz.com.

CODE PINK: Women for Peace, Tucson Chapter, Responds to Massacre (press release)

TIME & DATE: 12:00 Noon, Tuesday, January 11, 2011

LOCATION: University Medical Center, 1501 North Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724

CONTACT: Mary DeCamp (520) 408-4974 mdecamp@q.com

ANNOUNCEMENT: A Press Conference will be held at 12:00 noon tomorrow, Tuesday, 1/11/11, at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, to allow our community’s many peace-minded groups to offer prepared statements in response to the Saturday Safeway Massacre targeting Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

Representatives from Code Pink: Women for Peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility, AZ4NORML, the Tikkun Community & Jewish Voice for Peace, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee-Tucson Chapter, Middle East Justice Now!, the independent producer of Access TV’s Lovolution Village, Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Tucson’s Raging Grannies, and a growing list of other Tucson peace activists will be on hand to offer statements and answer questions.

BACKGROUND: Code Pink was born out of the 9/11 terror attacks. When the twin towers fell, the Department of Homeland Security responded by adopting a color code to alert air travels of the degree of danger – air travelers hear it is a “Code Orange” or “Code Yellow” day while awaiting their pat-downs down.

But our administration forgot to include a color for peace. So Code Pink: Women for Peace was born in 2002 with the mission to use creative ways to call for peace to replace terror in our lives.

Code Pink invites all those who are interested in working locally to promote peaceful alternatives to join together to alleviate the grief and to supplant violence with more sustainable alternatives.

Group Statement from some of these organizations about the mass shooting on January 8, 2011:

“Tucson peace activists, represented by the undersigned organizations, express their deepest sympathy for the anguish experienced by the victims and their families of the shooting on January 8, 2011, and their fervent hopes for the full recovery of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the others who were injured.

Tucson peace activists also wish to state their abhorrence of the rhetorical-political context for the shooting. That context includes Arizona’s near-bottom position in expenditures on education and mental health services and near-top position in laws favorable to gun ownership and use.

We believe the political climate and ordinary political discourse in Arizona, as reflected in statements by particular elected officials and by actions taken by the Arizona legislature as well as in violence expressed on talk shows and in threatening activities in various political campaigns, is a toxic brew. It expresses violence, encourages it, and then, with its lax gun laws, makes it easy to turn suggestions of violence into actual physical violence. Tucson peace activists reaffirm their commitment to non-violent actions in promoting peace locally, nationally and globally for all human beings.”

signed by WILPF, Tucson Raging Grannies, Tucson Tikkun Community, Jewish Voice for Peace