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Blues Fest to show true face of Ferndale

Dear BTL,
Allow me to add some thoughts and information that will complement Sean Kosofsky's Jan. 19, 2006 column regarding the upcoming Super Bowl. In addition to sports fans, athletes, groupies and jocks coming to town, our region will host tens of thousands of business leaders and media representatives. These folks are even better reasons for our GLBT community to be out, visible, and friendly.
Having Metro Detroit in the world spotlight is one of the reasons that we at Midwest AIDS Prevention Project worked to have the annual Ferndale Metro Blues Festival sanctioned as a Detroit Super Bowl Host Event. Rather than focusing on blight or arson, we will treat the media and visitors to music, culture, and fun.
This annual festival is one of MAPP's most important fundraisers of the year, and will raise thousands of dollars for HIV/AIDS prevention and education in the GLBT community as well as programs for area youth. Homophobic or not, visitors and tourists to the Detroit Super Bowl will be visiting Ferndale in huge numbers and will be partying with, and raising money for, our community big-time. I challenge our GLBT community once again to join us in a community-wide, mixed and diverse event that is fun and different, and doesn't require a tuxedo or a $200 check.
We want visitors to our region to have a good time. We want the spotlight on our music, our culture, and our wonderful fun and diverse populace. And let's try smiling at these visitors. Let our community melt the stereotype that GLBT people here are stiff or unfriendly. Help us show some good Midwestern warmth to our global visitors no matter how cold our winters might be.

Craig Covey, CEO Midwest AIDS Prevention Project,
Ferndale

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Topics: Opinions
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