He also started his own non-profit organization The Brave Heart Fund, which assists teens who have had the courage to come out. The organization provides financial support for those outed teens whose parents, schools and communities often abandon. “We want Brave Heart to be that shoulder that teens to lean on,� he said.
(Karamo, right, is involved in the good fight).
It’s been over two years since Karamo made his reality TV debut as one of the residents on MTV’s “Real World Philadelphia.�
The tall, intelligent, pecan-brown, brother who was an instant hit with his female housemates and fans, shocked the world when he broke his silence and shattered the Black-gay stereotype by coming out on national TV. “I am excited to be working with POCC,� Karamo said, referring to People Of Color in Crisis, which brings awareness to the fight against HIV/AIDS. “There is such a strong need for such organizations that are dedicated to combating this disease in our community.�
The College graduate, who also moonlights as a guest VJ on several MTV produced shows, recently joined forces with POCC in Brooklyn to help promote the annual Pride In The City 2006 affair. The festive FREE three day celebration, which includes a variety of live concerts, spoken word performances and a host of all-night parties, helps garner attention to battling HIV/AIDS by offering unconventional testing opportunities (on-site testing with rapid results will take place at most venues) for an at-risk population.
“Pride In The City is more then a party,� said Gary English, POCC Executive Director. “It’s a collaboration of community-based organizations coming together to share resources, in a collective effort to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS.�
Since The Real World, Karamo, who currently lives in Los Angeles, has been keeping busy touring Colleges and Universities sharing his insight on diversity and Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. He also started his own non-profit organization The Brave Heart Fund, which assists teens who have had the courage to come out. The organization provides financial support for those outed teens whose parents, schools and communities often abandon. “We want Brave Heart to be that shoulder that teens to lean on,� he said.
Pride in the City is New York City’s premiere event celebrating the Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. The goal of the event is to present a festive affair that brings a unique testing service directly to the community, instead of requiring people to travel or visit a clinic or office. People of Color in Crisis, Inc., the hosting community-based organization, is hoping that the increased accessibility and ease of this initiative will help them reach their goal of testing 300 community members for HIV during this period. Testing will take place in the park, on the beach and at the Brooklyn Marriott
People of Color in Crisis, Inc., (POCC), was founded in 1988 by a group of Black gay men to provide support to each other in the face of the AIDS crisis. Since that time, the agency has developed a range of HIV prevention and care services. Throughout its history, POCC has continually assessed the changing needs of the community and responded with culturally and linguistically competent services. By providing a range of opportunities to access information and support, POCC serves approximately 4,000 individuals each year through programs and outreach interventions in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx.
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