INWOOD – Touched, Moved and Inspired (TMI) is back, and this time it’s asking residents to share all the juicy details about their “first time,” whether it was the first time you fell in love, kissed or realized you were LGBT.
The series, organized by Inwood resident, Victor-John Villanueva, 38, aims to bring residents in the community together and create awareness around issues facing the LGBT community using storytelling as a tool.
The inaugural TMI was focused on the coming out stories of courageous individuals and how they felt since, with several attendees – of different ages – sharing their journey and experience, Villanueva said.
Villanueva said since the first TMI event was more of an introduction to the community, with him organizing and hosting most of the programming, he wanted to make sure others in the LGBT community got an opportunity to share their experiences. That’s why this time, he said, he’s passing the torch to Bronx resident and Uptown advocate Brandon "Pooh" Lee, 28, an HIV expert and program coordinator for several organizations.
Lee, who attended the first event, said the focus with his work — and this particular event — is gay men of color and providing this group with information on ways to reduce HIV.
“We’re trying to focus on men of color, and getting them on [medication], because that’s who is getting hit the hardest,” Lee said. “So if I can get people in our community together… we can all talk about our first time, we’ll have onsite testing and food. As long as everyone is laughing and learning.”
Lee said the event will provide attendees with information on the latest pre-exposure medications, which when taken every day prevents exposure to HIV, as well as post-exposure medications for people that think they’ve been exposed and decreases the chances of someone becoming HIV positive.
“Let’s eat and drink and talk about our worst experience — our first time,” Lee said.
Villanueva said more TMI are in the works, focusing on other concerns and issues with the LGBT community.
The TMI “My First Time” event is Saturday, Nov. 19 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Bread and Yoga Studio on 5000 Broadway in Inwood.
