[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 104 (Thursday, June 20, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO THE GAY MEN'S CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES

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                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 2019

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Gay Men's Chorus 
of Los Angeles upon its 40th Anniversary.
   In July of 1979, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) was 
formed when ninety-nine men stepped up at the Plummer Park Community 
Center in West Hollywood, having seen posters announcing the formation 
and first rehearsal of a new gay chorus. Three months later, the chorus 
performed at the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay 
Rights, thus marking the beginning of their important legacy.
   Throughout their forty-year history, GMCLA members have used their 
comradery and shared experiences to challenge stereotypes and enrich 
the community. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, the GMCLA family 
lost 150 members, but even that horrific tragedy did not stop their 
work and their commitment to celebrate and serve the LGBTQ community. 
The GMCLA has since become an essential part of the fabric of Los 
Angeles, with members dedicating their time to advocating for equality 
through song and community service.
   The GMCLA has stayed true to its core message of equality by 
transforming and nurturing the Los Angeles and LGBTQ communities 
through its initiatives, such as the Alive Music Project. The multi-
faceted project, which has reached over 65,000 middle and high school 
students, promotes acceptance and anti-bullying, and provides 
opportunities for music education programs in Los Angeles schools. 
Additionally, the GMCLA is a proud member of The Arts for Incarcerated 
Youth Network which offers music education to juvenile detention center 
students. Through these initiatives, the GMCLA reaches countless youth.
   Today, the GMCLA boasts over 300 members and has performed in iconic 
venues around the world, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, the 
Hollywood Bowl, and Carnegie Hall in New York. With each new venue, 
they sing for a world that promotes acceptance and is free from 
discrimination. The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles will honor its 
anniversary and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising in 
August, when they will be joined by the New York City Gay Men's Chorus 
for a historic concert and gala to benefit their music education 
programs.
   I am proud to recognize the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles for four 
decades of musical entertainment and outstanding service to the LGBTQ 
and Los Angeles communities. I ask all members to join me in 
congratulating the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles for its remarkable 
achievements.

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