GA Announces New Lead and Vice Lead

Today I received some long awaited news from the Gay Archipelago group.

Several months ago Rico Bluestar stepped down as Lead of the GA, since then there has been a selection process in the owners group to find a new Lead to replace him. The selection has now come to a successful conclusion with today's announcement.

The new lead-team of the Gay Archipelago will consist of Chris Magic as Lead, Weylin Vale as Vice Lead and with Parvin (Xcept Atlas) continuing as Public Relations Lead.

The new GA Lead-team courtesy of the GA WeBlog
Chris (center), Parvin (left) & Weylin (right)

Today's full press release:

Three years ago we mourned the passing of our founder, Fabrice Snook. Days ago we grieved with our friends when we learned that Avacar Bluestar had also left our Earth. 

Today, we welcome long overdue good news, the appointment of a new Gay Archipelago Lead and the creation of a new role, the GA Vice Lead.  They will join the current GA Public Relations Lead to serve our growing community.

We are proud to announce that after months of searching and vetting candidates for the positions the leadership committee completed their arduous task and have selected our new GA Lead and GA Vice Lead. 

Our GA Lead, Christope Magic, of Britain, has a long history of service to the Gay Archipelago and our LGBT community.   His roles include events manager for GA Summerfest 2014 and Winterfest 2014, our master of ceremonies for Miss Wigstock, a performer with Corinthia Isle Concerts, owner of the Remix Room, DJ, and host. 

Our GA Vice Lead, Weylin Vale, of Australia, brings real life LGBT event management experience to our team.  His resume includes participating, event managing and a Director of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, as well as event management for multiple governmental agencies. In Second Life he is owner of the sim Lycan Moon, a club owner, DJ, and established member of our community.

Together with our current GA PR Lead, Xcept Altas, of the USA, these appointments will give our community access to leadership without the boundaries of timezones, and clear, consistent responses to hurdles we will overcome together.

They are tasked with promoting unity and inclusion across our diverse international LGBTIA Second Life community. Each are committed to utilizing their skills to foster acceptance, offering support, and guiding teams and volunteers so that we may plan for and together embrace our future.   

Gay Archipelago brand represents our shared values, the knowledge that we are stronger together, and our belief that we can assist our member estates and our community, as well as our supporters, to live and grow in an environment that is tolerant and accepting of our common goals.

We thank the leadership committee; Garth Raleigh, Savannah Christensen, Leroy Voorhees, Evan Greymyst, Sangi Phaeton, and Draghan Marksman, for their service. Their diligence and care has given us leaders who will set us on a defined path towards tomorrow. 

In a two short weeks we will celebrate together as a community at our annual Winterfest. Please join us in welcoming our leads as they embrace their new roles.  

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” [Address in the Assembly Hall at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, June 26 1963] ― John F. Kennedy

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Greetings GA. 

I would like to introduce myself as your new GA Lead. Thank you so much to the GA Lead search committee, for all their hard work and time over the last few months. Thank you to Parvin for his hard work and amazing dedication to the GA, as interim Lead. You are truly awesome, never change. Today, i accepted the chance to guide the GA into the future. I feel very honored, and humble to be given this amazing opportunity. I have a huge task ahead of me, but one i will gladly take. I will not being doing this alone. Weylin who will be my vice lead, along with Parvin who will stay as PR Lead. Together, we will strive to constantly improve, strengthen your experience as member estates, sims and owners. 

Every estate, sim, owner will play an important role in the future of the GA. You are all vital to the GA. Without you, there is no GA. You will be heard, your voices are what we need to bring forward the organization. Let us work as a team, in harmony.  Together, we are one. United we stand. As the Lead team, settle into our new roles, please do bear with us over the coming weeks. I look forward to meeting you all to start this journey together.  Never change, be you.  Stay fabulous. 

This is your GA. Thank you, for your amazing support. 

"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance" ― Brian Tracy

 Sincerely,
 Chris Magic

Memorial Services for Avacar Bluestar

Avacar Bluestar    ★ September 21, 2010 (SecondLife) - † November 14, 2014

Today, Saturday November 22nd on his birthday @ 3:30 PM SLT, join friends in celebrating the life of our dear friend Avacar Bluestar.

Directly following the service there will be a celebration and remembrance with DJ MissBigRed.

We lost our friend Avacar to complications from heart surgery on November 14th, 2014, we shall celebrate his life and legacy and the music he loved so much. Avacar was a pillar of our community so join us in this celebration

The Rose Garden at Greymyst Estates (SLurl)


Tomorrow, Sunday November 23rd @ 12 PM (noon) SLT, there will be a memorial for jointly Avacar Bluestar and Fabrice Snook.

To the Theater on the Hill (SLurl)

The GA Retirement & Induction Party

I have, almost since I first rezzed into SecondLife, been a member and supporter of the Second Pride group. As such I admit to once having viewed the formation of The Gay Archipelago as a new LGBT community in-world with much scepticism and even suspicion, "Why would we want or need two or more groups with such a relatively small LGBT community?". 

Over the years - through my friendly relations with first Fabrice Snook (the founder of the GA-group) and later with also with Garth Raleigh and Othon Weiland (the outgoing Leads) - and having seen all the good work that has been done in the Gay Archipelago over the years I have completely revised my position on this matter. Today I (as a Swedish saying goes) stand "with one foot in each camp", although perhaps still leaning a little towards Second Pride. I now view the two groups as necessary and complementary and I also understand that both are working for the LGBT community in SecondLife as a whole. My only hope is that we may in the future see some more collaborative efforts and unified activities. 

The following message comes to us via a press release from The Gay Archipelago, kindly supplied to me by the outgoing GA-Lead Garth. (I really must have a talk with Rico and Xcept (formerly also known as Parvin) soon, so that this excellent service and tradition is continued under the new leadership, it is sometimes difficult for a poor blogger to keep up with everything that goes on in two lives without a few kind prods.)

I hope to see you all at the retirement and induction party at Gay Fun World tonight!

"In 2007, The Gay Archipelago was founded to be a place where the LGBT community could live, create, and share dreams together.  A diverse group of visionaries, leaders, and their assistants committed themselves to the idea that we are stronger together.  In those seven years we have grown and labored to become what we are today, an international community of over 100 member estates and well in excess of two thousand Second Life residents. This progress did not happen overnight, nor did it happen without embracing change. 

Today marks another change for our Community, one in leadership. Garth Raleigh and Othon Weiland have retired from their positions, but not from their active lives in the GA.  They will take their well earned places in history as one of the most successful teams of leaders our community has ever seen. They have set the standard upon which we, the incoming leadership team, will be measured. The bar has been set high.

Ricogenu, your new GA Lead, and Xcept Atlas, your new PR Lead, stand at the ready to continue to provide service to you, our member regions, and your residents. We are committed to listening to your feedback, answering your questions, identifying and fixing any challenges we encounter, and sharing our skill sets, so that we may continue to meet the needs of our community.

We also want you to know that during this time of change, we greatly value you and the significant work you do every day to sustain the Gay Archipelago's position as a leader of Second Life's LGBT Community - a place of welcome, orientation, community and help. 

Finally, we thank you for the opportunity to lead this great association. Together we will grow our future, and plan for the years ahead. 

We invite you to join us in celebration on Sunday, February 16th at 1pm SLT at Gay Fun World (SLurl) for Garth's and Othon's retirement party and the induction of Ricogenu and Xcept. Like yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Our Journey Continues Together. 

Sincerely,Ricogenu Resident and Xcept Atlas"

Happy 6th Anniversary Gay Archipelago!

The founder Fabrice Snook (February 9, 2007 - November 23, 2011)

History

In 2007, Fabrice Snook founded the initial sims of the Gay Archipelago seeing a need for a place in Second Life where the LGBT community could live, create and share dreams together. The following years brought growth of the Archipelago by leaps and bounds and strengthened the LGBT presence in Second Life.

In 2010, Linden Labs recognized the need for LGBT residents in Second Life to be together and bonded with each other to create a feeling of community to further the Second Life experience. Thus the area currently known as the 'GA Prime' cluster was established so that LGBT sims and estates could live, work and play in close proximity as neighbors and friends on the SL Grid.

In 2011, Linden Labs recognized the needs of LGBT sims to be able to grow, expand and reorganize in a more 'Protected' and 'organized' area to further strengthen the LGBT community in SL. Thus the second SL Grid area known today as the 'GA Reserve' cluster was established and settled.

Today, the GA boasts some of the most active and popular LGBT clubs in SL as well as numerous galleries, performance halls, theaters, thriving commercial districts, prime LGBT residential areas, resorts, multiple tourist-attractions and amazing events which draw residents from all over the SL grid.

The GA Organization has grown as a strong LGBT Community and regularly welcomes new friends and regions from all over Second Life!

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Membership

The Gay Archipelago proudly welcomes LGBT and LGBT-friendly regions from all over the Second Life Grid to join in friendship, fun, unity and creation of all our dreams together. If you are interested in joining the GA, please contact current GA Lead, Garth Raleigh for an application for your adventure to begin!

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Celebration

To celebrate the anniversary there will be a three hour party today (10 AM - 1 PM SLT) at Gay Fun World

For additional information about the party please visit Gay Archipelago

Angels in Our Lives

I believe in angels! No, no, I have neither become a born again Christian that suddenly found religion, nor have I gone off on a New Age trip, but I truly believe that angels walk among us. Angels of flesh and blood and pixels, true humans who with kind love and glowing fervor affect us in a profound way when they touch our lives.

These angels show us love and by doing so teach us to love ourselves and each other. They bring us together and let us work for common goals for the benefit of our communities. With gentle persuasion and kindness they bring out the best in us, even when we did not know we had it in us.

While they still live and move among us we call them lovers, friends and acquaintances, not until they have passed do we recognize them for what they truly were. Their human fallibilities and shortcomings are in retrospect so greatly outshone by the good they have done that we feel grateful that our lives have been touched by them, however briefly.

Fabrice Snook

One of these angels was Fabrice Snook.

Yesterday I had the joy and honor to participate in the Gay Archipelago´s commemoration of Fabrice´s life at Chilipepper. The event took place on the day a year after he had passed away (although we in SecondLife did not get the news until several weeks later). A year is understandably too short a time to heal for those who have been closest to an angel, but I believe that the rest of us can - and indeed should - remember the angels, preferably together with others who have been touched by them.

It was a wonderful event that started off with a great concert with AM Quar. After that there was an unveiling of a statue of Fabrice and then a dance with the DJ-duo Sasch and Sascha (Petrov and Laval, respectively, or perhaps the other way around I get confused).

Thank you Fabrice for touching my life, I will always remember your kindness.

Reminder - The Event of the Day

Read more about it in this post:
♥ Celebration Of Life ♥

I hope to see you all there!

♥ Celebration Of Life ♥

(Tipped via GWNews)

Please join together with the LGBT Community in SecondLife to celebrate the life of our dear friend, Fabrice Snook. The celebration begins Friday November 23, 2012, at 1 PM SLT. See you all there!

Here´s your ride to the celebration (SLurl)

Dig Deep

My friend Garth Raleigh at the Gay Archipelago has posted this request on the GWNews blog today.

"In order to prepare the Fabrice Snook’s commemoration taking place on Chilipepper November 23 from 1:00 pm slt, we need your help.

We’re seeking your pictures (full perm) of our friend Fabrice for a special project to celebrate this man’s time with us in Second Life. Pics of all situations, funny, goofy, serious … (no nude photos or sex).

A special souvenir book will be distributed at this event.

Send your photos to Zaza (Nefaso Resident)

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this project!"

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Fabrice was a kind and charming man whom I got to know better only shortly before he passed away, even if I had met him around SecondLife for a very long time before that. 

I will be happy to share the few pictures I have of this wonderful man. I am hoping my sister Millimina sees this and sends in a few of her pictures of Fabrice from Miss Wigstock 2010 also... 

The Fabrice Snook Foundation

THE FABRICE SNOOK FOUNDATION

ESTABLISHED: January, 2012

MISSION: To provide support to the LGBT Community in Second Life via fianancial donations to help promote a vibrant, active LGBT presence. In loving memory of Fabrice Snook.

STATEMENT from the Board Members: 

Not long after the news of the passing of Fabrice reached those of us in Second Life, it was determined that the legacy of this great LGBT activist and friend to all should continue with in-world, grid-wide impact.

Since Fabrice was a businessman in SL, and his successful ventures continued to operate (namely: Crazy Garden, Kikoo Designs, Flag Factory), it was decided that all proceeds from sales at these established businesses would be directed to a fund set up in this Foundation name – to be managed and distributed to LGBT organizations and entities in Second Life upon approval from the Board. We anticipate extended longevity of this Foundation as the treasury receives consistent replenishment from sales generated at various in-world store locations, planned fundraisers and miscellaneous donations.

Applications for funding along with guidelines for qualification can be obtained from any of the following Foundation Board Members (NoteCard, please – IM’s get capped easily). Applications are currently in the English language pending translations into multiple languages:

Avacar Bluestar          

Draghan Marksman         

Garth Raleigh
MissK Magic

Othon Weiland

Zaza (nefaso.resident)

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Questions/interviews – contact Foundation Spokesman Othon Weiland who will assist you.

* The Fabrice Snook Foundation operates impartially and independently from any other LGBT Organization.
* This announcement will repeat in several languages and locations throughout varying venues available for Press Release.

D R E Y Is Back

My darling brother in-law D R E Y (the spaces are important and make him look younger, he hasn't said so but it´s what I suspect).

As always when my BIL comes back from a hiatus he has made a complete makeover and is now a stunning blond with a skin he will have to take care with in the permanent sunshine of our world.

It was late (or early) in my first life but we do not meet that often so when the occasion arose we just had to meet and talk a little, it happened to be at Fabrice´s memorial site because I was there when he came inworld.

I love my BIL, it was good to see and talk with him again.

At Fabrice´s Memorial Site

Yesterday there was a memorial Mass in honor of Fabrice Snook at the Parroquia Santa Maria de Guadalupe (SLurl). As I wanted to leave room in the church for those closer to Fabrice, I visited his memorial site later in the day instead.

While I was at the memorial site we were about 6-7 avatars on the Open Spaces sim (which only holds 10 avatars) where it is placed. It was apparent by the many greetings, gifts, candles and bouquets that the site had been visited by many.

If you also wish to pay your respects the site is located here (SLurl). (The memorial is behind the building at the landing spot.)

Mass For Fabrice

According to a notice in the GWNews group there will be a Mass celebrated in honor of Fabrice Snook today at 16:00 CET/7 AM SLT.

All those who wish to honor the memory of Fabrice are welcome

The memorial service will take place in the church Parroquia Santa Maria de Guadalupe (SLurl)

Fabrice Snook In Memoriam

Fabrice Snook (February 9, 2007 - November 23, 2011)

It was with great sadness I today learned that the primatar of Fabrice Snook has passed away on November 23, 2011. The news was totally unexpected and has shocked the whole of the LGBT community in SecondLife.

Fabrice was a strong champion for LGBT rights in SecondLife. He was also the founder of the Gay Archipelago (GA), a cluster of approximately 140 LGBT sims. He was the first Chairman of the Gay Archipelago Council board and was until his demise a part of the Council in a non executive role.

Besides being an activist Fabrice was also an accomplished designer, a great mentor and a true friend to many inworld.

I did not know Fabrice well, but the few times we met and talked he was always kind and supportive. The last time we met was at what was to be the taping of The DJ Insyx Show with Spike Clemenceau on November 20, 2011, see my post The DJ Insyx Show - Spike. (The show was cancelled due to technical difficulties.)

Fabrice landed on my head as he teleported in to the studio where the show was going to be taped. We started talking and he was giving me kind praise for a post I had done on GWNews and gave me a few things to think about for future articles. I have actually been waiting for him to be online at the same time as me to continue the discussion.

My heart goes out to all of Fabrice´s family and friends in both his first and second life.

Rest in peace, Fabrice, you will be sorely missed!

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Landmark to The Gay Archipelago community´s memorial site for Fabrice here (SLurl). (When you visit, please pay your respects swiftly and leave as soon as possible, as the Open Spaces sim only holds 10 avatars at a time)

If you wish, you can leave your condolences on the GA blog here (Url).

"Bock, You Are Such A Lens Bug"

As I reported yesterday, I left the Imagine peacefest at Solace Island on Sunday rather hastily.

This was because I received a call from my buddy Eddi Haskell, major SLebrity, blogger, fashionista, photographer, machinimista etc. etc., to come to the shooting of his appearance on The DJ Insyx Show. This show is a weekly show produced by the great people over at Gay-World News.

When I informed my sister Millimina Salamander that I was leaving and the reason for it she said, "Bock, you are such a lens bug!" (A "lens bug" (linslus) is a Swedish colloquial phrase referring to someone who very much likes to be photographed.)

The laird in a beautiful Pashmina shawl and a girly sit on the far left.

Fabrice Snook from Gay World News overseeing the taping and looking hot

Although I told her I was just going to be a part of the audience at the taping and would most likely not appear on camera, she just laughed me off. My sister is loving but sometimes I want to wring her neck!

The reason I went so fast to the taping was of course that I assumed he would tell the story about what happened to him in real life at the Hotel Mark Twain in San Francisco along with a hot blond. But no such luck this time. instead he went on and on about other interesting topics concerning his Secondlife experiences.

You can see the taped show on Eddi´s blog Eddi Haskell´s Second Life My Second Life Television Debut.... (Be careful with the sound level, start out low.)

Handsome Men in SecondLife

There are too many images of women on this blog right now for a gay male blogger, so I thought I would give you some male beauty too.

Let me first tell you that I am purposely leaving out my Ars from this short list, because I cannot look at him objectively. Secondly, I am not even going to pretend I remember all the handsome human faces I have seen in SecondLife, so these are just the ones that pop-up in my mind at this moment. I may continue the list at a later time though.

Cats are not included in this list for the obvious reason that there is only one cat that could make the list... ´nuff said...

So here are the three avatars I would like to introduce you to today (in no particular order).

Andrey Messmer, my beautiful Brazilian brother in-law (BIL). His looks change constantly, but he always remains stunning.

Andrey - courtesy of himself

Fabrice Snook, is a stylish French avatar in SecondLife. I have never talked with Fabrice that I can remember and the only time I saw him personally he was a participant at a drag contest in one of the craziest outfits I have ever seen. This picture is from Fabrice´s profile.

Fabrice Snook

Loch Wolfhunter, is a sexy Brit whom I first saw at one of my BIL´s sets. Andrey tells me he has the sexiest British accent he has ever heard and that he is a great builder. This picture is from his SecondLife profile.

Loch Wolfhunter

Isn't it a bit strange that they are all gay?

LGBT Flea Market in the Gay Archipelago

I got an invitation from Fabrice Snook that I would like to share with y´all.  

"Hi there,
It is our pleasure to announce the LGBT Flea Market in the Gay Archipelago.

This two weeks friendly event is open to everyone.

The purpose are :
- to lighten our inventories of unused items that are transferable
- to "revive" our memories of SL through our unused inventories stuffs - most of the modif/transfer objects are from 2007-2009
- to meet friends and new friends, and to welcome newcomers, as always

Book your garage box to resell your stuff or simply take a look and enjoy the items mess ;)

Some propositions are on the way to be done, as having an auction session during the Flea market, a Concert, etc.

This two weeks event will be as well the place to promote other major events that will happen in the maintime : 
Gay Riviera grand opening, 
Pride Samba show -Tiffanyluv, 
Pride- Second Pride fundraising, 
8th of March, Women's international day,...

Invite your friends, spread the word to your groups, welcome to our inventories mess and Enjoy !;)

More infos here : http://gay-archipelago.com/"

GA Arts & Culture Event - January 14-16th

The Gay Archipelago (GA) is an international region in Second Life, today consisting of 146 sims today. They share traffic, conduct Archipelago-wide events, and welcome LGBT newcomers into Second Life. Gay Archipelago has a variety of content, including businesses, land rental, shopping, entertainment, role-playing, and services for the gay Second Life community.

Linden Labs recently assigned the Gay Archipelago its own area, allowing it to further expand, enabling it to remain focused on, and working for the LGBT community.

The Gay Archipelago is owned by 44 Estate owners and is a place to welcome and help LGBT people, and to support the talents of residents and merchants.

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GA invite you all to a special GA-wide event.Come and see for yourself! There will be a Cultural Festival on the United Continent of Gor sims, and during the Weekend there will be a focus on art galleries throughout the Gay Archipelago. We will also be holding a sculpture contest on the GA Sandbox.

Don't miss it! And spread the word among your groups and friends.

For more info please visit the GA blog 

In response to a question asked on my bosom buddy´s blog The Bock McMillan Art Foundation (a part of the BMcM Corporation) encourages everyone to visit this event although it does not have the formal or financial support of the foundation.

The Much Honoured Bock McMillan, Laird of Southern Charm, has gratefully accepted an invitation on "Facebook" - a popular Internet based social network service - from the organizer himself Fabrice Snook and is happy to announce that he will attend the event. 

He may however chose to do so incognito to spare the organizers the costs of additional security measures otherwise required.