PLEASE DISTRIBUTE!!! ÚÄÄÄÄÄ· ³ ÖÄ¿ º ³ º ÀĽ ³ º ÚÄ·   ÄÂÄ Â ÂÄ¿ ÚÄ¿ ÚÄ¿ Ú¿Ú ' ÚÄ¿ ³ ÓÄÙ º ÃÄ´ ³ ³ ³ ³ ÃÂÙ ÃÄ ³³³ ÀÄ¿ ÀÄÄÄÄĽ Á Á ÄÁÄ ÀÄÄ ÁÄÙ ÁÀ ÀÄÄ ÁÀÙ ÀÄÙ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄ· ÖÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ· ³ ÖÄÄ¿ º º FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE º ³ ÓÄÄÙ º º º ³ ÖÄÄ¿ º Ú¿Ú ÄÂÄ Ú¿ ÚÄ¿ ÄÂÄ ÚÄ¿ ÂÄ¿ º September 20, 1995 º ³ º ³ º ³³³ ³ ³³³ ÃÄ´ ³ ÃÄ ³ ³ ÓÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄĽ ÀĽ ÀĽ ÁÀÙ ÄÁÄ Á Á Á Á Á ÀÄÄ ÁÄÙ ÚÄÄÄÄÄ· ÀÄ¿ ÖĽ ³ º ³ º ÚÄ¿  ÚÄ¿   ÄÂÄ ÚÄ¿ ÄÂÄ ÚÄ¿ Ú¿Ú ³ º ÃÄ ³ ÃÄ ³ÚÙ ³ ÀÄ¿ ³ ³ ³ ³³³ ÀĽ ÀÄÄ ÀÄÄ ÀÄÄ ÀÙ ÄÁÄ ÀÄÙ ÄÁÄ ÀÄÙ ÁÀÙ                                    United States Senate COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6300 September 5, 1995 Ms. Bessie Hadley Executive Director Children's Animated Television, Inc. 1492 Highland Ave., Suite 3 Needham, MA 02192 Dear Ms. Hadley: Thank you for sending me information about the Children's Animated Television project on Gay, Lesbian and Bi-sexual youth. I apologize for not contacting you sooner, but the Senate schedule has kept my staff and me extremely busy over the last few months. Programs addressing self-esteem, positive role-models and the challenges faced by gay and lesbian youth are certainly needed and I applaud your efforts. I hope that the project you are undertaking will help alleviate or reduce some of these challenges like attempted suicide, increased drug use and violence. We cannot afford to waste the talents of any one in our society. Everyone should be free to grow and develop in order to meet their full potential. The Children's Animated Television project on gay and lesbian youth will be successful if only one person who would otherwise feel scared and alone sees hope and promise in his or her future. Thank you again for contacting me. I look forward to hearing about the project. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Edward M. Kennedy                                    Want more information on this project and how you can help??? Please contact: Children's Animated Television, Inc. (CAT) 1492 Highland Ave., Suite 3 Needham, MA 02192 voice 617-449-9699 fax 617-449-2238 Internet: didom@usa1.com Web: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ You can also catch the latest CAT news in "The CAT Chronicle" Subscribe by E-mail: didom@usa1.com Web: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/newslett/newslett.html/ For your convenience, here is the June press release Senator Kennedy is referring to:                                    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * * June 5, 1995 * * * * CONTACT: Bessie Hadley * * 617-449-9699 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A Brighter Future for ALL Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual (GLB) Teens ------------------------------------------------------------- Children's Animated Television (known as CAT), a progressive non-profit organization is seeking volunteers and national support for a ground breaking video production. The focus of this significant project will be GLB teens, their self-esteem and positive role models, as well as the challenges they face: * Higher and unacceptable incidence of suicide than the general populous * Prevalent alcohol and substance abuse * Increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) * Unsupportive and/or hostile family, school and social environments * Violence and hate crimes * Inadequate or no education because they fear attending school * Being thrown out of their homes or feeling compelled to run away * Involvement in prostitution for survival, if homeless CAT produces educational video programs for children & teens. Previous videos have included important contemporary issues such as diversity and a general information and prevention video on HIV/AIDS for pre-teens. To stay on the cutting-edge of today's social issues, CAT is developing a new video on sexual diversity and teen suicide prevention. The goal is to help GLB teens learn to understand sexual diversity and provide hope for a long, productive and healthy life. Confident GLB teen and adult role models will be interviewed to demonstrate how self esteem and a positive attitude is possible. CAT needs national support for sponsors, donations and for GLB people to come forward and volunteer for on-camera interviews. "The statistics on GLB teens who have tried to kill themselves is quite alarming", according to Bessie Hadley, Executive Director of CAT. "The numbers suggest 7-23% of all GLB teens in the U.S. have attempted suicide. Many of these were multiple attempts. Compare this to the 2-3% in heterosexual teens. Can you imagine being so afraid of your sexual identity that you feel your only choice is not to live at all?" There are multiple features that make this video project unique: * Promoting self esteem in GLB teens * Introducing positive GLB role models of all ages, races, religions and walks of life * Demonstrating the correlation between low self esteem _and_ GLB suicide, substance abuse, the resurgence of HIV and STD'S * Stimulating discussion for groups in schools, social clubs, community centers, religious organizations and families * Providing hope and a brighter future for troubled GLB teens Claude DiDomenica, the President and video producer for CAT tells why this project is critical to him: "We are in the beginning stages of this exciting new video project. We MUST address the alarming suicide rate in GLB teens. We would like to show positive teen and adult role models in an attempt to beef up their self esteem. I, for one, am ashamed to live on a planet that treats its fellow beings as many of us do." He also emphasizes, "As a side benefit, we wish to have an impact on the resurgence of HIV infection. We believe low self esteem contributes towards unsafe sex practices. I, for one, will no longer remain silent. These concerns have compelled me to produce this video. My primary motive is to help save these precious young lives." CAT will include a diverse group of GLB teens and adults in the video. GLB men and women of color, Asian Americans, Native Americans etc. are encouraged to contact CAT for on-camera interviews and appear in the video. Also, GLB people from all professions, trades, religious or non-religious groups as well as experts in the field of GLB psychology are welcome. "How can you help? We all are distressed about today's youth", continues Ms. Hadley. "We need YOUR help to become sponsors, to donate time and money and to volunteer to help promote and develop this timely video. Support and encouragement from other teens and adults will send a positive message that we want to help GLB teens to have long lives and contribute to our society..." Contact Person: Bessie Hadley, Executive Director Children's Animated Television, Inc. 1492 Highland Ave, Suite 3 Needham, MA 02192 Voice: 617-449-9699 FAX: 617-449-2238 Dr Furball's BBS: 617-455-8415 node 1 617-433-0026 node 2 Internet: hadley@usa1.com CAT is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. CAT will be publishing a free newsletter to keep concerned people informed of this project. Please contact CAT to be put on the mailing list. Please specify either E-Mail, printed version or FAX. Copyright 1995 Children's Animated Television All Rights Reserved This may be freely distributed, as long as it remains unaltered. # # #