Here’s 3 more fun things to do, learn about, experience — all part of Tucson’s Birthday celebration in August, from www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

–Tucson’s Birthday Prayer Walk

Aug 27, 2011

Time: 7:00 am to 9:00 am
Contact Name: Linda Leatherman
Email: Linda.Leatherman@pima.gov
Location: Reid Park
Address: Off Randolph Way between Country Club Rd and Alvernon Way north of 22nd St. 85719

Tucson’s Birthday Prayer Walk has been moved from “A” Mountain to Reid Park. It will begin at Ramada 31 (adjacent to the baseball stadium). Vision for the Prayer Walk is: to unite people of different faiths to pray for their community and to thank God for His blessings in Tucson; to encourage the community of faith to pray for those who are oppressed, mired in crime and addiction, struggling with poverty of resources and of spirit; to strengthen the community of faith in its mission to help those in need.

–Discover The Horse That Discovered America

Aug 27, 2011

Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Admission: $5.00
Contact Name: Maureen Kirk-Detberner
Email: mkrik@fastwinn.com
Location: Amerind Museum
Address: 2100 North Amerind Road Dragoon, AZ 85609
Phone: 520-586-3666

The Amerind will host a Spanish Barb Horse Association event. Join us in a celebration, and meet the horse that Governor Jan Brewer declared as Arizona’s State Heritage Horse. The event will include presentations on the Colonial Spanish horse as well as demonstrations. Apache historian, Dale Curtis Miles, will discuss the role the Barb had in Native American cultures. A book signing by Silke Schneider, the author of Arizona’s Spanish Barb, a presentation by a representative from the Father Kino Society, and a slide show of the horses and their history, along with activities for children are on the schedule as well. A Native American food vendor will be on site, and local artisans have been invited to show and sell their work.

–Describe Your Own Tucson Memories Writing Workshop

Aug 27, 2011

Time: 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Admission: Free
Contact Name: Suzanne Parker
Email: suzanne.parker@pima.gov
Location: Himmel Park Library
Address: 1035 North Treat Avenue Tucson, Arizona 85716
Phone: 520-594-5305, Ext. 3

Join writer Molly McKasson as she shows you how to creatively record your very own Tucson memories! (Blogger note: Molly is the former 2 term City Councilmember from Ward 6).

What an eclectic group of activities on one day, but they show what makes Tucson (and America) great — freedom of religion, appreciation of our Native American cultures, preservation of cherished memories. Enjoy the day, as we wind down Tucson’s Birthday month of August.

For previous blog about Tucson Birthday events on August 20, click here (photos). And for more events on August 27 as well as the remainder of the month of August, go to the website www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

The Wingspan Anti-Violence Programs (AVP) is facilitating a city-wide Anti-LGBT Bullying Community Awareness Event at 5:30 pm on Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Tucson YWCA ,525 N. Bonita, south of W. St. Mary’s Road.

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Moreover, Mayor Walkup and Council Member Paul Cunningham have proclaimed September 23, 2010 (today) as Anti-LGBT Bullying Awareness Day.

“A recent increase in reports of Anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment at area schools motivated Wingspan advocates and staff to organize the event. The target audiences for the event are affected youth and their guardians, educators, school administrators and staff, as well as concerned community members.

The goal for the event is to raise awareness of this specific type of violence and to gain a commitment from attendees to address this type of violence in their respective schools and campuses. Local advocates and experts will be speaking at the event. Representatives from local organizations working to end violence will be available at a community resource fair held in conjunction with the event. ”

For more information on the event or to participate in the resource fair, please contact AVP Manager Oscar Jimenez at ojimenez@wingspan.org, or 520-624-1779.

And congratulations to Wingspan for just being awarded the Tucson Weekly’s 2010 “Best Local Activist/Advocacy Group” award for seven years in a row. (Tucson Weekly’s Best of Tucson issue of 9/23/10, www.tucsonweekly.com).

And for a movie on this very topic — Himmel Park Branch Library will be hosting a re-screening of “Out in the Silence” on Saturday, September 25, 2010 between 2:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. Local musician and singer Namoli Brennet wrote and performed the music for this film. This PBS documentary is open to the public and free.

DVD movie cover

“Out in the Silence is more than a movie, it’s part of the movement for fairness, equality and human rights for GLBT people.” (from the movie’s website)

I saw this movie at an earlier screening at Himmel library, and it is a powerful documentary about a 15 year old male teenager in rural Pennsylvania, facing discrimination and constant harassment for being openly gay at his high school. Find out what he has to do to overcome this bullying. It really made me reflect upon how difficult it is to be “different” in a rural setting, and how sad it is when adults (teachers & administrators) let the bullying continue. For more info contact Librarian Suzanne (Sue) Parker at 520-594-5305, suzanne.parker@pima.gov.

Himmel Library is at 1035 N. Treat Ave (SW corner of E. 1st St, south of Speedway).