Mr Gay California 2015
Hello family, friends and any other supporters!
March 25th I will be traveling to Harrisonburg, Virginia to compete for Mr Gay United States 2015. Help me make history and a dream come true! With winning this title I could be the first gay male entertainer from California to have a national title.
Below is the essay I submitted in perpetration on becoming Mr Gay California.
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Why I would be honored to get involved as Mr. Gay California?
Looking back on my life thus far, I wonder what I bring to the table and the LGBT community. Three words come to mind: Pride, Passion and Purpose.
Having been raised in rural California, I, like many of our peers, found myself the subject of horrific bullying. Yet, I persevered and found my way to San Francisco where I have worked to establish myself within our community and today stand proud as a gay man. If I am appointed Mr. Gay California I look forward to the opportunity to apply my title to amplify my voice and energize our community across California to reach out to our youth that may be struggling with their identity and families to let them know that it does get better and communicate resources and tools to LGBT youth and allies.
Each of us has been asked to provide ideas to grow the Mr. Gay California organization. I have given this a lot of thought and reached out to my friends and colleagues to develop attainable goals. Some of the ideas I would employ immediately, would involve a social media blitz. I would tap into my social network, reach out to the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) of large corporations and at the grassroots level I would energize our community to establish more connections with Gay Straight Alliances within their local school community. This would serve two purposes: 1. It would keep our name in communities throughout California and beyond, adding to the prestige of the title and 2. it would achieve a “boots on the ground” effect getting us into the community where we are accessible to youth.
The above platforms will provide a variety of entertainment opportunities. Entertainment can mean so many things, it could be panel discussion with myself and peers within a local community, it can mean a fund raising opportunity at clubs across California - dancing, comedy, Drag shows and other theatrical entertainment or hosting LGBT/Straight Ally youth night at a local community center or a Q&A hour with Mr. Gay California on one of the social media sites. My commitment and a primary goal as Mr. Gay California is to shine a light on the sense of community and family that awaits us when we are out and proud. To let other children and even adults that may be experiencing bullying and/or isolation in their immediate community know that we are here, we will be their global urban family and to just hang on - it will get better.
Again I ask you PLEASE HELP me be the next Mr Gay United States.
Anything and All is much a appreciated. Thank You!
Hugs & Kisses,
Cody D. Rovella
Mr Gay California 2015
March 25th I will be traveling to Harrisonburg, Virginia to compete for Mr Gay United States 2015. Help me make history and a dream come true! With winning this title I could be the first gay male entertainer from California to have a national title.
Below is the essay I submitted in perpetration on becoming Mr Gay California.
***
Why I would be honored to get involved as Mr. Gay California?
Looking back on my life thus far, I wonder what I bring to the table and the LGBT community. Three words come to mind: Pride, Passion and Purpose.
Having been raised in rural California, I, like many of our peers, found myself the subject of horrific bullying. Yet, I persevered and found my way to San Francisco where I have worked to establish myself within our community and today stand proud as a gay man. If I am appointed Mr. Gay California I look forward to the opportunity to apply my title to amplify my voice and energize our community across California to reach out to our youth that may be struggling with their identity and families to let them know that it does get better and communicate resources and tools to LGBT youth and allies.
Each of us has been asked to provide ideas to grow the Mr. Gay California organization. I have given this a lot of thought and reached out to my friends and colleagues to develop attainable goals. Some of the ideas I would employ immediately, would involve a social media blitz. I would tap into my social network, reach out to the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) of large corporations and at the grassroots level I would energize our community to establish more connections with Gay Straight Alliances within their local school community. This would serve two purposes: 1. It would keep our name in communities throughout California and beyond, adding to the prestige of the title and 2. it would achieve a “boots on the ground” effect getting us into the community where we are accessible to youth.
The above platforms will provide a variety of entertainment opportunities. Entertainment can mean so many things, it could be panel discussion with myself and peers within a local community, it can mean a fund raising opportunity at clubs across California - dancing, comedy, Drag shows and other theatrical entertainment or hosting LGBT/Straight Ally youth night at a local community center or a Q&A hour with Mr. Gay California on one of the social media sites. My commitment and a primary goal as Mr. Gay California is to shine a light on the sense of community and family that awaits us when we are out and proud. To let other children and even adults that may be experiencing bullying and/or isolation in their immediate community know that we are here, we will be their global urban family and to just hang on - it will get better.
Again I ask you PLEASE HELP me be the next Mr Gay United States.
Anything and All is much a appreciated. Thank You!
Hugs & Kisses,
Cody D. Rovella
Mr Gay California 2015
Organizer
Cody Rovella
Organizer
San Francisco, CA