Dante Mastri, director of Brand Integration for American Express, addressed the crowd gathered at TRUST Restaurant Thursday (July 14) evening. “In these days of heated political rhetoric and national tragedy,” he said, “we think it’s more important than ever that people express love.”
#ExpressLove is a nationwide campaign created and led by American Express’ employees PRIDE network. Key components of the campaign include supporting local nonprofit LGBT organizations; participating in local Pride parades and festivals, and encouraging people to shop at local small businesses. The campaign is being rolled out in 10 cities from San Diego to Provincetown, from Chicago to Palm Springs.
Mastri told me that rather than “writing individual checks”, American Express is teaming up with the Stonewall Community Foundation who, in turn, identify and fund various nonprofits through grants. Mastri, who is also the president of the Stonewall Community Foundation, said the foundation since 1990, has awarded “almost $17 million to more than 600 organizations.”
The San Diego LGBT Community Center was selected as the local nonprofit beneficiary of the campaign’s largesse.
Rebecca Hook-Held, The Center’s Director of Public Affairs, told attendees the funds would support The Center’s #bethegeneration campaign which aims to “eliminate new cases of HIV in San Diego by 2024.”
To achieve the goal, #bethegeneration utilizes several strategies which include offering free HIV testing and counseling, educating people about medical intervention options such as PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis), and advocating for public policies regarding full access to life-sustaining treatments.
Hook-Held also said the funds would be leveraged in a partnership with Community HousingWorks (CHW), another local nonprofit building 76 new affordable apartments in North Park. Although available to anybody who meets the age and income requirements, CHW is working with The Center to design an affirming and supportive environment for LGBT seniors. Ground breaking for the Transit Oriented universal access project occurred July 13. The rentals are anticipated to open in December, 2017.
The event at TRUST was arranged through ExtraExtra, a marketing, event planning and production company owned by PAPER Communications. PAPER Magazine is a New York City-based independent magazine focusing on fashion, pop culture, nightlife, music, art and film.
Attendees enjoyed complimentary food and beverages prepared by the well-skilled TRUST crew. Service included charcuterie and cheese stations as well as passed platters of hamachi crudo atop taro root chips, beef tartare on lavash and pork sugo with polenta. Craft cocktails reflected the colors of the rainbow with selections such as “Orange”, a mix of Old Tom gin, apricot, lemon and cinnamon, and “Blue”, made with Hangar One Citrus vodka, Blue Curacao, lemon and egg white.
