Help Create a Viable LGBTI Community in Bulgaria!

Since my last update, we have continued our efforts to support, motivate, and empower young LGBTI people in Bulgaria.  Below are some of our notable initiatives / accomplishments.

• In 2018 we had 565 online chats with LGBTI youth from 85+ towns and cities across the country. We expanded our network of psychologists to 10 major cities in Bulgaria.  The online chat and toll-free telephone line is now staffed by 20 trained volunteers and supervised by our psychologist-supervisor;
• We launched a new initiative VentureOUT: a career center for young LGBTI people who are just starting their careers. VentureOUT helps address many of the questions which may trouble young LGBTI people in Bulgaria, such as: How do I launch my career? Who is the right employer for me? How do I do my best at an interview?
• As part of our #endHIVbg initiative, we are launching a psychotherapeutic support group for people living with HIV in the beginning of May 2019, led by a group psychotherapist with vast experience in the field of HIV. The group will provide support and will help its members adapt to living with a chronic disease, such as HIV, and the resulting effects;
• Kosta Karakashyan, a Bulgarian professional dancer, choreographer and director, created a “Waiting for Color”, a film inspired by testimonials of the arrests, torture, and genocide that gay Chechens were subjected to throughout 2017. We organized numerous events including media appearances and a launch event at Gallery 2.0;
• We just announced our inaugural annual CampOUT, a major initiative targeting young LGBTI artists in the country, who would like to grow professionally, create and be themselves. CampOUT is a five-day artistic workshop focused on five genres: visual arts, photography, music, dance, and fashion design, led by Bulgarian and international artists – mentors.  It will be held in early July at a picturesque venue in the mountains;
• In March 2019 we created GenerationArt to give young LGBTI artists space, opportunity and a stage to express themselves and to show their art. At the end of every month, our team will select one artist to present and to show their work through GenerationArt. We will publish their works on our website as well as at our social media profiles;
• I was honored to be invited to address the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) “Celebrating Bulgarian Superheroes” annual forum, which gathered 500+ grantees and partners of ABF.  The video from the event is in the link below and is a very special project for me, personally.
• We are still working on financing our ambitious project to establish an LGBTI community center in Sofia, as a social enterprise. Please let me know if you have any ideas / thoughts on potential donors / investors, who would like to participate in a social impact investing project, such as ours.  We will really appreciate it!

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Links:

• Ivan's address at the American for Bulgaria annual conference
• Launch of CampOUT
• Kosta Karakashyan's "Waiting for Color"