OUR MISSION
In August 2001 the ballroom community and director Wolfgang Busch came together at the LGBT community center in New York City for the first time to talk about "How Do I Look" and the life after "Paris is Burning". The artistic empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness community program was born.
The Mission is:
to empower 200 "Ballroom" community members artistically, financially & professionally. Proceeds from the royalties are to be shared by the ballroom community, LGBT community- based organizations and the director.
The Vision for:
this unique improvisational performance art-form is to protect the natural
artistic progression from manipulation and negative energy flow and to capture
the passing of the 30 year old Harlem traditions through the eye of the director.
The Goal is:
to create an arts in education program and to inspire people from all walks
of life to raise money
and give back to the community through similar programs. We want to bring
the attention to our community to bring more respect to the arts and to break
down racism and stereotyping.
How Do I Look
speaks powerfully about passing on three generations of Harlem "Ballroom"
traditions and family values from legends such as Dorian Corey, Avis Pendavis,
Anji Xtravaganza, Marcel Christian, Eriq Christian Bazaar, Ross Infiniti,
Tracy Africa, David Ultima, Alvernian Prestige, Jose Xtravaganza, Andre Givenchy,
Willi Ninja, Jamal Balenciaga, Mystery Dior, Stanley Angel, Harmonica Sunbeam,
Emanuel Xavier, Rickey Revlon, Selvyn Givenchy, Jack Givenchy, MASHALA, Anthony
Revlon, Gerard Gaskin, Roxy Latex and China Blue Latex.
The sense of family values is addressed by Octavia’s father Billy Austin,
Kevin Omni, Shawn Eminence, Monica Continental and lesbian Jaimee Balenciaga.
Personal struggles by Pepper, the founder of the first original House as we
know them today, the House of Labeija and Luna Luis Ortiz Khan.
Transgender education by Carmen Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Angie Infiniti
and Jazmine Givenchy, substance abuse by Junior Labeija and R.R Chanel and Jose
Xtravaganza.
They raise their self esteem through competition at events they call "Balls", to build recognition and ballroom status with the goal to become "Legendary"one day and leave behind a legacy.
"How Do I Look" provides many positive programs
and opportunities to the "Ball" community. During his mayoral run,
Kenneth Golding 
,
made an appearance, presentation and Q&A session at our first organizing meeting.
This meeting was set up for us by Kevin Omni
at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Services Center in
NYC, and was attended by about 30 people. This is an excellent example of
positive action for the "children" who will be working hard to create long-term
community empowerment solutions and improve their overall quality of life.
David "Ultima" Padilla, one of the fashion designers and the former father of the legendary latin house of "Xtravaganza" is featured in the movie and has already benefitted financially from the empowerment project. A gown was purchased by Dred Moshood from the House of Moshood at the investor's showcase, Marcel Christian is using video clips from the How Do I Look project, taped at the LaBeija Ball for his designing business, Carmen Xtravaganza's picture was featured in the NY Post article with quotes from Kevin Omni, Wolfgang Busch and Monica Xtravaganza, James Saunders and Joseph Ebony's picture was published in TimeOut. Octavia's picture was published in Venus Magazine, in Adam Borstein's Q-Syndicate column nationally (picture provided by Brian Lantelme).
MEDIA
Our early accomplishments include the first Investors Showcase in August, which was sponsored by Ector Simpson from the LGBT Community Services Center (providing us with cultural credibility). The center is committed to continuing to provide us with a free monthly meeting space and free equipment rental. The first investor's showcase was also sponsored by OutProfessionals (Jack Schlegel)
(providing us with professional credibility). This function was attended by 180 people, who had the chance to see the 10 minute work in progress video for the first time. It was very well received and it gave Wolfgang the opportunity to read the audience reactions, which helps to work on the project. The promo video was also screened for the first time at the McQueen/LaBeija and Prada Balls at the PS 3 school and gave more "Ball children" the opportunity to get a first look at the EduTainment/DocuFeature film.
We received cultural media support from WBAI-FM radio, an interview with Kevin Omni and myself provided by OutFM producer Chaz Crowder and a 3/4 page feature in the NY Post cultural section, positioned by Suzi Miles and written by Joe Cunningham, provides us with cultural recognition. An interview with Q Syndicate in Los Angeles appeared in more than 40 gay/lesbian newspapers and internet media sources (e.g. Planet Out) across the country. Additionally, we had write ups in HX, Next, Village Voice, Venus Magazine and the NYC GLBT Center's Newsletter and OutProfessional's Newsletter and we were featured as the main event on the OutProfessional
website. Those strong media anchors will help to give us early exposure to position us for more media follow-ups as the project grows.
SUPPORT
On the political front, we have received two letters of support from Senator David Patterson thanks to Kevin Omni and David McQueen. Kevin Omni received two phone calls from President Bill Clinton's office, which we are approaching to talk about AIDS on camera. Those efforts are positive actions thru which How Do I Look provides empowerment to the community.
Fiscal Sponsorship has been granted to us from the Harlem based International Agency for Minority Artist Affairs, Inc., by Greg Mills and Ernest Steele for a pending NY State Council for the Arts grant. As our home base/roots is Harlem, this brings the ball community back home to where they originated in the 60's.
Our struggle is organizations like the NYS Council on the Arts, which provides grants to the community like ours. Unfortunately we have been rejected for the second time. The "Ball" community, which is one of the most creative and hardest hit HIV/AIDS community has lost the right for governmental support. Even community based organizations like Gay Men's Health Crises/House of Latex uses their corporate position to further individual careers within the organization over community based projects like ours, which is hurting us as well.
Fiscal Sponsorship and great support in general has been granted to us from the Harlem based International Agency for Minority Artist Affairs, Inc., by Greg Mills and Ernest Steele for a Grant submission to the NY State Council on the Arts two years in a row. As our home base / roots is Harlem, this brings the ball community back home to where they originated in the 60's. "How Do I Look" continues the tradition and culture of the "Harlem Balls".
So far we have build a nice momentum and we have accomplished a lot in the organizing stage (especially in the building of this website www.howdoilooknyc.org). The movie is not due out for a year, yet we have already garnered attention from industry leaders such as Urban World and Miramax and of course from the Houses of the ball community nationwide, and internationally in France, Germany, Spain, South Africa and England. This early buzz, and media mention will be used as powerful tools to help us build a press kit, which will give us credibility, assist us in building the business plan and help us gain financial support for the "How Do I Look" project .
These tools and strategy pave the way to create contacts, organize and build our team which will leave extra time for development, production and finishing. By the time distribution rolls around, the team will be in place and we'll be ready to move on to the second stage of the project. We will be addressing the artistic political empowerment struggle to gain recognition, respect and financial support from governmental institutions. This is also the time to contact celebrities as well to become a part of this project, such as Madonna, Patti Labelle, Diana Ross to name a few. The third stage is screenings, festivals and openings of the movie nation wide and internationally.
We are creating and running a community based entertainment company, which will employ and empower many people from the "Ball" community. Proceeds from the profits will be re-invested in future community-based projects to continue the empowerment. At this point the empowerment program will have reached its first goal. The "How Do I Look" project, specifically the documentary itself, is used as a tool to gain publicity and attention in various industries to create a local artistic empowerment program/movement that has the potential to be picked up as a model to go global to improve the quality of life for artists. The long term plan is to build and operate an Entertainment / Music Community Center for everybody to gain artistic respect and improve the quality of our life's in the entertainment business at large.
My associate and business friend, Jack Herman, served on the Board of Education until his retirement. He provided me with years of Educational Documentary education. My ten years working for the largest New York City discos and nightclubs such as Limelight, Tunnel, Danceteria, Palladium and the China Club and my 20 years of music entertainment experience provide me with the artistic and professional wisdom to be the creator and director for the "How Do I Look" empowerment project. The Producer, Kevin Omni has twenty-five years of experience in the Ball Community as well as twenty-two years of leadership experience as head of the International House of Ultra -Omni.
