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| Greetings Community,
And welcome to 2009. The mantra for 2009 is QUALITY. In an area where access is critical and valued with regards to the QUALITY of a product and service, In The Meantime has recommitted itself to the development, implementation and maintenance of QUALITY product and service. I am amazed when I think that we are about to celebrate 10 years of dedicated service to the Los Angeles and national community. Through countless hours of grassroots community mobilization, advocacy, wellness/prevention education, and program implementation, we (In The Meantime) find ourselves thriving and moving forward into a brighter and more successful future. We cannot forget our early days, meeting in the basement of the Tsunami Coffee House in Silver Lake, California, and the first few individuals who would become thousands of Black SGL men passing through the portals of and becoming the very fabric of In The Meantime. As we approach our 10-year anniversary, we carefully contemplate a strategic plan that will guide us to year 15 and beyond. We have already begun the implementation of the following: 1. Create Mental Health/Case Management Programming The key to internalizing healthy preventative behavior is to truly believe in its value and worth with regards to our personhood. Hence ITMT is dedicated to empowering the mental and emotional well being of black gay and bisexual men. 2. Facilitate HIV/AIDS Testing Historically, ITMT has provided educational and preventative support in an effort to stem the growth of HIV/AIDS. But when testing is added to our programming we can then provide added support by ensuring that infected individuals know their status earlier and are able to secure necessary medical treatment to stop its progression. 3. Develop a Youth Rec/Drop-in Center The ITMT Youth Center will provide mentorship, personal development, computer training, job preparedness, and life skills development to scores of young people. 4. Strengthen our existing programs: MYLIFE, The GAAME, and the NIA Project All three successful ITMT programs have become the wheels by which ITMT is able to move nimbly throughout South Los Angeles County providing crucial awareness, education and support to its underserved community. 5. Strengthen and further develop the capacity of the Black Gay Men’s Task force ITMT’s goal is to ensure that the Task Force becomes more visible throughout the county and the state as it advocates mental and physical health and the financial and literacy empowerment of black gay and bisexual men statewide. 6. Fund and maintain our Social Justice Bill Board Campaign This initiative is focused upon providing visible, positive and uplifting messaging intended to empower and bring awareness to specific community social justice issues and concerns. 7. Maintaining and growing our existing Crystal Meth Campaign A creation of ITMT, this campaign will continue to target, identify, and provide support to at-risk and meth-addicted black gay and bisexual men throughout Los Angeles county. 8. Career Mentoring To black gay and bisexual men who are college educated and already engaged in their careers, ITMT will provide career enhancement and support by bringing in industry professionals and career experts to provide added tools of success and encouragement. 9. Develop and implement a solid sustainable fundraising campaign A crucial component of ITMT’s campaign will be through online donations. In fact all of ITMT’s related websites will be equipped to receive online donations. In addition its email messaging campaigns will be formatted to facilitate the “ask.” 10. Continue to compile research on black gay and bisexual men ITMT is dedicated to creating focused research designed to measure the numbers, spending and social habits of black gay and bisexual men, ensuring that their needs and community concerns are being met. In The Meantime Men’s Group is dedicated to serving the total black gay and bisexual man so that we as a black community can grow stronger and more viable together. I ask that you please join ITMT as we make this dream become a reality together!! Jeffrey King Executive Director In The Meantime Men’s Group, Inc. |
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| FROM THE FOUNDER |