New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: LGBT

Santa Ana man found guilty of bashing his gay lover’s head in with a rock

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Courts, Crime, LGBT, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Jose Fuentes

A 23-year-old Santa Ana man was convicted today of bashing in his gay lover’s skull to steal his flat-screen TV, car, stereo and other valuables. “Jose Fuentes, who is scheduled to be sentenced Friday, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole,” according to the City News Service.

According to the OC District Attorney, Fuentes murdered his lover by beating him to death with a rock in order to steal the victim’s car, money, and valuables. He was found guilty of one felony count each of special circumstances murder, first degree robbery, and first degree residential burglary. The special circumstance sentencing enhancements include murder by lying in wait, murder in the commission of a robbery, and murder in the commission of a burglary. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Council members to march with gay activists at the Tet Parade

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Editor Posted in Bao Nguyen, David Benavides, Garden Grove, Jeff LeTourneau, LGBT, Little Saigon, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vietnamese, Westminster 9 Comments

Gay activists at the Tet Parade

Update on 2/10/13: None of the Santa Ana City Council Members showed up to the Tet Parade nor did I see any of the gay activists.

The controversy that has brewed all week will continue at the Tet Parade scheduled for this Sunday, February 10, at 9 am, at the intersection of Bolsa and Magnolia.

They gay activists who were told by the parade organizers that they could not participate in the parade sued the organizers but a Judge found against them this week.

In the wake of that court decision a number of local elected officials have declared that they will be boycotting the parade. This is by the way a parade that almost didn’t happen, as the City of Westminster is broke and couldn’t pay for it. Volunteers worked very hard to raise the money to hold the traditional Lunar New Year parade, in Little Saigon. Continue reading→

Celebrate Halloween at Santa Ana’s Velvet Lounge

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Arts and Culture, Bars, Business, Dance, Entertainment, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana’s new gay bar, the Velvet Lounge, will be hosting a Halloween Party on Monday night. It will start with the Screamgirls Revue, which is the Halloween version of their weekly Dreamgirls Revue. That will be followed by a dance party with DJ B.Magick, costume contest and more!

Cover is only $5 for this special event. 18 and over admitted with ID.

The Velvet Lounge is located at 416 W 4th St., in Santa Ana. Check them out on Facebook here. Join their Facebook group here. Continue reading→

Special Discount tickets now available for “Confessions of a Mormon Boy”

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Entertainment, LGBT, Santa Ana Leave a comment

TONIGHT AND SATURDAY ONLY! Off-Broadway Smash-Hit Confessions of a Mormon Boy Premieres in Orange County

This weekend, the much-anticipated Off-Broadway smash-hit CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY finally premieres in Orange County. Star Steven Fales brings the play the Chicago Tribune calls “uncommonly powerful, gripping, and very moving” to Church of the Foothills for two performances only. On Friday October 1st and Saturday October 2nd at 8PM, come hear the inspiring and humorous true story of playwright and star Steve Fales’ life. After this sixth-generation Utah Mormon came out as a gay man, he was divorced, lost his kids, excommunicated by the Mormon church, fell into drugs and prostitution, before finally reclaiming his kids and his “Donny Osmond” smile.

The play was originally directed by Tony Award Winner Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man). Given the issues around Prop 8 and the involvement of the Church of Latter Day Saints in the campaign, as the San Francisco Chronicle notes, “The story couldn’t be more timely.”

As this is a fundraiser for Church of the Foothills, tickets are a suggested donation of $20.00. For cash reservations, please call the church at (714) 544-1319. For credit card reservations, please purchase online at http://chotf.tix.com/ However, for those for whom $20 is too steep, we now have SPECIAL DISCOUNT TICKETS AVAILABLE! For 1/2 price tickets, go to https://www.plays411.net/newsite/show/play_info.asp?show_id=2546 THEN CLICK ON THE “DISCOUNTS” link! This offer is only available online through Plays411 and will not be available to those paying cash at the door.

Don’t miss this groundbreaking and inspiring show! Tell your friends!
—
Members of the Open & Affirming Ministry
Church of the Foothills

Smash hit “Confessions of a Mormon Boy” to debut at a Santa Ana church on Oct. 1

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Civil Rights, Entertainment, LGBT, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Controversial Smash-Hit Play

CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY

Premieres in Orange County at Church of the Foothills

Santa Ana, California (August 1, 2010) – Church of the Foothills is proud to present the Orange County premiere of the controversial smash-hit CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY. With performances on Friday October 1st and Saturday October 2nd at 8PM, MORMON BOY tells the inspiring true story of playwright and star Steve Fales life, told with humor, song, and The Book of Mormon.

After excommunication, divorce, prostitution, and drugs, a sixth-generation Utah Mormon reclaims his kids and “Donny Osmond” smile.

Steven Fales could have been the poster child for Mormondom: Eagle Scout, international missionary, BYU graduate, husband to the daughter of a celebrated Mormon author, and father of a beautiful boy and girl. In his autobiographical one-man play, Fales tells the captivating story of his failed attempt to overcome his “same-sex attraction” through “reparative therapy” which resulted in his divorce and excommunication from the Mormon Church.

After his perfect Mormon world fell apart, Fales took his pain and confusion to New York City where he quickly descended into the gay underworld of escorting and drugs. Both touching and funny, Mormon Boy is a 90-minute reclamation saga of a Latter-day prodigal son that ends in a moment of self-revelation that “hits us between the eyes like a shot with a two-by-four” (Chicago Sun-Times). The play was originally directed by Tony Award Winner Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man).

The book of the play, Confessions of a Mormon Boy: Behind the Scenes of the Off-Broadway Hit (Alyson Books) is a Lambda Literary Award Finalist.

For more information about the play go to www.mormonboy.com. Tickets are a suggested donation of $20.00. For reservations, please call the church at (714) 544-1319. Church of the Foothills is located in Tustin Hills at the intersection of Dodge Avenue and Newport Blvd, across from Foothill High School. The church address is 19211 Dodge Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705. www.chotf.org

REVIEWS

“An exceptional achievement to rank beside the best of the solo genre. Wrenchingly honest, hilariously jubilant, and utterly clear-eyed. ”
— Los Angeles Times

“An astonishing generosity of spirit . . . with fierce comedy and sharp intelligence. He bares his soul . . . feels like a sacred gift.”
— Boston Globe

“An uncommonly powerful, gripping, and very moving piece of theatre.”
— Chicago Tribune

“The story couldn’t be more timely.”
— San Francisco Chronicle

“A masterful story teller and one hell of a writer. Sexy and harrowing. A play that transcends religion, gender, and sexuality.”
— San Francisco Examiner

“Fales is such a perceptive writer. As moving as it is funny.”
— New York Daily News

“Compelling confessional theatre. Fales knows how to sell it.”
— New York Times

“Brokeback Mormon . . . a rare blast of lyricism.”
— Variety

“A quintessentially American once-upon-a-time of sexual identity crisis and selfhood.”
— Village Voice

“A tale about finding redemption in honesty.”
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Steven Fales is a hero.”
–Austin Chronicle

“Breathtaking. Makes you want to say Amen.”
–San Diego Union-Tribune

“An absorbing tale about the universal human search for belonging. Gay or not, Mormon or not, it is something we can all relate to.”
–Salt Lake Tribune
“The stuff of great theatre”
— Associated Press
“Rare and skillful. A fine writer and actor.”
–Chicago Sun-Times
“A very funny, poignant and surprising story of self-acceptance
and the happiness in finding spiritual connections. Rich in universality.”
–Las Vegas Review-Journal

Special Movie Night at Church of the Foothills: “Common Threads: Stories from the NAMES Quilt”

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Entertainment, LGBT, Movies, Santa Ana Leave a comment

via The Insider

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Special Movie Night at Church of the Foothills: “Common Threads: Stories from the NAMES Quilt”

Santa Ana, California (August 1, 2010) – The Church of the Foothills is very pleased to announce a special FREE screening of the Academy Award winning documentary “Common Threads: Stories from the NAMES Quilt.”

The screening will take place on Thursday August 19, from 7PM-9PM, in the Church of the Foothills Fellowship Hall.

Rob Epstein’s searing Oscar-winning documentary profiles six people who died of AIDS, helping to put a human face to an illness that, when this movie first aired, was cloaked in fear and mystery. Using the AIDS Memorial Quilt as his starting point, Epstein, with the help of narrator Dustin Hoffman’s dignity and gravitas, humanizes the disease and illustrates its carnage, showing how it devastates families and communities.

On Tuesday September 14th, Church of the Foothills will screen the Oscar nominated documentary “Food, Inc.”

Church of the Foothills is located at 19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport Santa Ana, CA 92705. For more information, please call 714.544.1319.

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ABOUT CHURCH OF THE FOOTHILLS

Church of the Foothills (ChOTF) has been “Open and Affirming” of the LGBT community for many years, and offers monthly LGBT fellowships, with a variety of exciting events planned. Additionally, Church of the Foothills was profiled in the Orange County Register for performing one of the first legal same-gender church weddings in Orange County and provides ceremony
services for committed couples.

For more information on Church of the Foothills, please contact them via phone 714.544.1319 or online at www.chotf.org.
Church of the Foothills is located at 19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport, Santa Ana, CA 92705. Phone: 714.544.1319.

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Contact:

Kergan Edwards-Stout
Phone: 714.552.2348
Email: proud2bedad@yahoo.com or chotfona@gmail.com

Santa Ana’s Church of the Foothills announces a new transgender support group

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Churches and Religion, LGBT, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Church of the Foothills Announces a New Transgender Support Group in Orange County

Santa Ana, California (August 1, 2010) – The Church of the Foothills is very pleased to announce the formation of a new Transgender Support Group in Orange County. The first meeting of the TG Rainbow met with great success, and 17 attendees. Open to those in transition, friends, and family, this inclusive transgender support group will meet on the third Friday of the month, from 7:30 – 9:00 PM. The group is set to meet next on Friday August 20th at 7:30PM.

While they meet at Church of the Foothills, this group is not affiliated with any religion. All are welcome. Future groups meet at 7:30PM on September 17th, October 15th, November 19th, and December 17th.

For more information about the group click here or contact Michelle Evans at mach25@sbcglobal.net or 949-770- 0702.

Church of the Foothills is located at 19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport Santa Ana, CA 92705. For more information, please call 714.544.1319. The Transgender Support Group will meet at Church of the Foothills, in the Senior High Room.

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ABOUT CHURCH OF THE FOOTHILLS

Santa Ana’s Church of the Foothills welcomes Southern Poverty Law Center speaker

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Civil Rights, immigration, Latinos, LGBT, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Southern Poverty Law Center exposes those who advocate hate, such as Lupe Moreno

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Church of the Foothills Welcomes an Attorney from the Southern Poverty Law Center

Santa Ana, California (July 31, 2010) – The Church of the Foothills is very pleased to welcome a guest speaker from the Southern Poverty Law Center as part of their ongoing Peace & Justice Speakers Series. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. James McElroy, an attorney who has tried cases on behalf of SPLC, will be speaking on Sunday August 8th, at 11AM.

Founded as a small civil rights law firm in 1971, the SPLC is now internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of hate groups. The SPLC was founded to ensure that the promises of the civil rights movement became a reality for all. Since their founding, they’ve won numerous landmark legal victories on behalf of the exploited, the powerless and the forgotten.

Lawsuits from the Southern Poverty Law Center have toppled institutional racism in the South, bankrupted some of the nation’s most violent white supremacist groups and won justice for exploited workers, abused prison inmates, disabled children and other victims of discrimination.

Speaker Jim McElroy has been in private practice in San Diego for over 30 years specializing in Civil Rights cases and general civil litigation. Additionally, Mr. McElroy is on the Board of Directors of the Southern Poverty Law Center and was its past Chair. He serves on the Board of the non-profit Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana.

Mr. McElroy served on Lt. Gov. McCarthy’s Hate Crimes Commission and testified before legislative committees regarding the passage of hate crimes statutes. He worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center and Morris Dees in trials that resulted in a 12.5 million dollar judgment against Tom Metzger and the White Aryan Resistance, 6.2 million dollar judgment against Aryan Nations in Idaho and 2.5 million dollar judgement against the Imperial Klans of America.

Mr. McElroy was awarded San Diego County Bar Association’s Service to the Legal Profession Award, the Outstanding Attorney of the Year Award, the National Civil Rights Award from the Anti-Defamation League, the Margaret Sanger Award from Planned Parenthood for Distinguished Service in Protecting Women’s Rights and the Womancare Health Center Award for Advocating the Legal Rights of Women.

Then, on Sunday August 29th, Jenna Wadsworth McCarty will be speaking on behalf of Phoenix Infinite. Phoenix Infinite’s Mission is making sustainable living an achievable reality for all.

Future Speakers in the Peace & Justice Series include such groups as the OC Food Bank, OC Shanti, and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

Church of the Foothills is located at 19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport

Santa Ana, CA 92705. For more information, please call 714.544.1319.

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ABOUT CHURCH OF THE FOOTHILLS

A dynamic and progressive church affiliated with both the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ, ChOTF offers a variety of opportunities for mission, service and fellowship, with Sunday worship beginning at 9:00 AM. For more information on Church of the Foothills, please contact them via phone 714.544.1319 or online at www.chotf.org.

Church of the Foothills is located at 19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport

Santa Ana, CA 92705. Phone: 714.544.1319.

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Contact: Kergan Edwards-Stout

Phone: 714.552.2348

Email: proud2bedad@yahoo.com or chotfona@gmail.com