| Name of Person Filling Out This Form |
AARON BEAR
|
| E-Mail of Person Filling Out This Form |
---
|
| Phone # of Person Filling Out This Form |
---
|
| Organization Name |
Yes I Am - The Ric Weiland Story (film)
|
| Organization Address |
---
|
| Proposed Event Address (if offsite from city facilities) |
7655 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90046-2725
|
| Is your organization a nonprofit organization, a West Hollywood Neighborhood Watch Association, West Hollywood business or business the serves the West Hollywood community, or a governmental organization? |
Yes
|
| Name of Proposed Co-Sponsorship Event |
Yes I Am - The Ric Weiland Story
|
| Anticipated Attendance |
300
|
| Is this event free and open to the public? |
No
|
| If not free and open to the public, please explain why. |
---
|
| If this event is charging for entry, please list the price(s) to attend |
---
|
| Please explain the purpose of this event and why it is important for the City to co-sponsor this event |
Narrated by Zachary Quinto and starring Bill Gates, Yes I Am - The Ric Weiland Story chronicles a queer pioneer and one of the founders of Microsoft. Ric helped focus and organize their early successes. It made him wealthy and influential at an early age. He never felt overly comfortable with his wealth - he didn’t feel that he deserved it. Other people had worked harder for what they had, he thought. So to quiet the nagging doubt, he turned to philanthropy.
Out and proud since the 70’s, Ric was a champion of gay rights. During his life, he donated more than 200 million dollars to fund more than 60 non-profit organizations. His efforts to establish representation and resources for the LGBT community still have a profound impact today.
Ric also lived through the AIDS epidemic. Painful losses tempered his social life and focused his resolve to give back to his community during a time when they desperately needed hope. Like so many of his friends, he was diagnosed with HIV. It seemed he wouldn’t emerge from the crisis unscathed emotionally, or physically.
As his wealth and influence grew, Ric seemed to slip further into self-doubt, depression, and a kind of impostor syndrome that seemingly no one could talk him out of. It was clear to see from the outside looking in that he was a brilliant, impactful, and beloved person. Where was the disconnect in his own heart and mind?
It’s difficult to overestimate the impact that Ric had. Technology, gay rights, HIV/AIDS research funding… and the list goes on. He was one of the greatest philanthropists in American history. A founding member of one of the biggest companies on earth. But he couldn’t manage the pain and doubt within his soul.
Near the end of his life, he wrote, “I’ve lost interest in fighting my depression and other emotions. I can’t see how it would end given my circumstances.”
Ric was a queer pioneer and this film is part of his legacy. With amfAR, and the filmmakers we will be screening a one night special event fundraiser for World AIDS Day.
|
| How does this event benefit the West Hollywood community and/or the City? |
Ric loved West Hollywood dating back to the early 80's. He spent a lot of time in the city and wanted to ensure change was at the forefront.
|
| Please list the names of all event participants (panelists, presenters, performers, speakers, lecturers, etc.) for each/all day(s) of the event: |
---
|
| Please provide a summary of examples of a previous event(s) and/or programming produced by your organization that demonstrates the organization’s capability to deliver high-quality events and/or programming similar to the one you are proposing in this application |
---
|
| Has your organization received a City of West Hollywood co-sponsorship before? If so, for what event (name & date of event)? |
N/A
|
| Is this event held on one date, or multiple dates? |
One Date
|