Queen Latifah on Larry King

Queen Latifah was all aglow as she promoted her new book, “Put On Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path To Queendom,” on CNN’s Larry King Live last night (July 9th). Born Dana Owens, the accomplished rapper/actress takes readers through certain life changing moments and how she dealt with it, not in a preachy way, but conversation-style – from her experience dealing with being molested at the age of 5 to her brother Lance’s death to how she almost went broke.

“Putting on your crown is really like accepting the fact that you are a queen,” Latifah explained. “Wherever you are in life, just keep on that path…as women, we forget that about ourselves. So, putting on your crown is sort of reminding yourself that, hey, I’m a queen, and I can do what I want in this life and take it.”
Latifah spoke of the need for inspiration throughout one’s life and messages to help maintain one’s high self-esteem. She credits her relationship with her parents and especially the messages instilled by her mother for her own high self-esteem. “My mom raised me to be a queen,” said Latifah. “Every woman is a queen and should be treated as such and we should request that sort of treatment from others.”
Latifah shared it took losing her brother Lance, age 24, in a motorcycle accident to reveal to her parents she had been molested by someone they knew. “I had to let them know what I had gone through so that they could understand maybe more of my mindset, and freed myself of that burden,” said Queen. She was 22 at the time of Lance’s death, an experience she describes as the most difficult thing she’s been through in her life.
Despite Latifah’s candor, don’t expect to find any juicy details about her love life in the pages of “Put On Your Crown.” The mere mention by Larry that she doesn’t discuss her personal life caused Latifah to jokingly interject, “Nope… don’t go there, Larry,” to which he responded, “I’m not.”
When asked how she protects her privacy in this day and age of the internet, Latifah explained, “I don’t read all of the blogs and I’m not media hungry like that. I don’t have to look at myself online every day…. I share with the public the things that we should share. We should share music. Let’s share that. Let’s share films. Let’s share that. Let’s share thoughts about positive things. Let’s share those things, but what happens in my personal, personal life is my personal business.”
As for her life philosophy, “Life is for the living,” said Latifah. “It’s about living every moment to the full, as best you can. Whatever I do, I’ll try to make sure I have a good time doing it, that I enjoy it, and that I get every full moment out of everything I do.”

Possible Cure for HIV

Some progress to reports in the so-far elusive quest to find a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus ...

Government scientists announce the discovery of three powerful antibodies, the "strongest of which neutralizes 91% of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered." The antibodies were discovered in the cells of a "60-year-old African American gay man identified as 'Donor 45'" and the discovery could have a substantial implications on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research in the black and black gay communities.
CNN's Don Lemon discussed the findings with Black AIDS Institute CEO Phill Wilson. "This is fantastic news [because] clearly our best hope of ending HIV are with a vaccine," Wilson said. "This is a case study on why we should all be involved in research, particularly African Americans. The antibodies were found in a black gay man."

Watch the video HERE ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCS76SpjDvA

The study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The data will be presented next week at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna.
The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) and the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA)—Phill Wilson is a member—will present the National HIV/AIDS Strategy on Tuesday. This at the same the recession has created a major funding crisis for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. White House announces $25M emergency re-allocation to ADAP. HIV advocates say an additional $126M is needed.HIV testing expansion bill advances in New York. The bill mandates all doctors to offer HIV tests to patients ages 13 to 64. The bill has passed the Senate and Assembly and awaits Gov. Paterson's signature.

Drama Queenz #206

Throwback Photo

New York Days....

Monday's Muse

Ed Hartwell...YES YES YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Presbyterian Church may back gay marriage

Presbyterian Church (USA) committee issued a recommendation Tuesday suggesting that the church support same-sex marriages, the Courier Journal reported.
Send / ShareAdd CommentIn a weeklong gathering of the church’s General Assembly, the committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues suggested that the church’s definition of marriage be changed to include gay and lesbian couples. Rather than label marriage as a union between “a man and a woman,” the new definition would describe it a covenant between “two people.” The group voted 34 – 18 in favor of the amendment.
“[This] would recognize committed, lifelong relationships that are already being lived out by our members,” the committee said in a statement.
If the recommendation is approved by the General Assembly and survives a rigorous ratification process, the church would become the largest Christian denomination in the US to perform same-sex unions.
Another legislative committee has also proposed that the church begin to ordain non-celibate gay clergy. The Committee on Clergy voted 36 – 16 in favor of the proposal, UPI reported.
The Episcopal Church currently allows same-sex unions and ordains gay clergy members.

Really? Is this what we are doing?

"For those people who want to makes this into a civil rights issue, and of course those in favor of the bill, they see it as a civil rights issue. And I understand them drawing that conclusion. But people on the other side would point out, well, we don’t allow other people to marry even — it’s not a civil right for them. First cousins couldn’t marry, or a brother and a sister and that sort of thing. So there are restrictions, not to put it in the exact same category. But the bottom line is, it really can’t be a civil right if we are restricting it in other cases, and it’s been found to be legal in those other cases, that the restrictions." - Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle comparing same-sex marriage to incest. And Lingle is wrong, first cousins can get married in Hawaii

A Summer Benefit for LGBT homeless

Get a ticket and help support AFC's vital work for NYC's homeless LGBT youth