We had a great time at SF AIDS Walk today. We join the SF AIDS Walk and Silicon Valley Walk for AIDS every year! Join one near you to experience and contribute in finding the cure to AIDS, help provide services for those in need, and raise awareness in unity.

-Vanae

So its been awhile that we’ve posted something. Sorry, we’ve been busy so now we will try to update more:o)

So some fun things coming up for us:

July 20, 2008, Sunday: we will be participating in the San Francisco Aids Walk! Look for us, we’ll be giving out FREE HUGS that day with our bright color shirts!

I’m sure most of you have been wondering when our next BIG event is!  here’s a teaser. ha!

 DATE: SEPTEMBER 6, 2008, SATURDAY

TIME: 7:00PM

LOCATION: MINT LOUNGE, SAN FRANCISCO

It includes hot people, lots of music, and YOU!

RYA has been consisting SUPERB folks but we all have different personalities and taste. Each of us will probably blog here with our rendition of fun. Mine happens to be FASHION! hee…

Who said spreading awareness isn’t fun?!?!

all the condoms use on these dresses has failed the quality control test.

artist: Adriana Bertini cira 2006

<3…..

Huong

media coordinator

Donation Drop-off sites:

(East Bay)*Albany High School - Albany

*Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California - Oakland

*Congregation Netivot Shalom - Berkeley

If you would like to volunteer and/or know of a school, church, mosque, synagogue, temple, or community center that would be interested in as a designated donation drop-off spot, please contact: Reza: rezarezvani123@gmail.com 

Batman and the power to heal
Author: Vanae

The oh-so-handsome SF band, The Hundred Days, serenaded at the Date a Rockstar in their crisp pilot uniforms. Jon Smith spends some time with us and gave some insight to the band and their thoughts. Read fun interview below and check them out www.myspace.com/thehundreddays

Vanae: Thanks for supporting RYA! We notice that you guys rock out for other causes. What’s your thoughts on participating in good causes?

Jon: I would rather support a cause than a bar. I think music is a great way of bringing people together. When there is a group or organization benefiting from a show, it makes it even better. I feel like everyone wants to help, they just need a little motivator to get out there and participate. Music can be a great way of doing this.

Vanae: What did you think of ‘date a rockstar’?

Jon: I thought it was a lot of fun. The show was great, and watching the singers get auctioned was hilarious. The date was really fun too- there seemed to be a lot of really nice people out just having a good time.

Vanae: Share the best show you guys have played!

Jon: Our best show was probably at Popscene. It was an honor to play there, since it is put on by Live 105, and is usually reserved for touring bands. We brought a big light system, which was so flashy that it made me dizzy on stage. I almost fell over at one point. But I think it added to the energy.

Vanae: With the holidays around the corner, does ‘The Hundred Days’ have any holiday rituals/celebrations?

Jon: Sometimes we crawl down chimneys and steal kid’s presents, only to grow bigger hearts later in the day and bring them all back again.

Vanae: If you could have any super-hero power, what would it be?

Jon: The power to heal.

Vanae: How did you come up with your band name?

Jon: We all took leave from our jobs and wrote songs for 100 days, and then started playing them live. The real story is that “The Hundred Days” was the name of Napolean’s war to retake France after he was exiled. We felt like creating a successful band was equally as difficult, so we called it that.

Vanae: If there was battle between a ninja, a samauri, and batman..who would win?

Jon: I think they would all be pretty messed up, but Batman would win because he has the bat-armor to protect him. He also has way cooler gadgets.

Vanae: Is there anything you want your fans to know about ‘The Hundred Days”?

Jon: Just that pretty soon they will be proud to say they knew us when we were unknown

Thanks Jon and The Hundred Days! You guys are a delight! For everyone else, be sure to check them out at a live show and say ‘hello’ on their myspace: www.myspace.com/thehundredays

the winners of ‘date a rockstar’ and band members had a blast on our hot sunday group date! johann did a slip n’ slide and STRIKED! then at cobbs comedy club, we drank and laughed so hard at david allen grier that we almost lost a liver!

thanks to yerba beuna center & cobbs comedy club for sponsoring the date!

thanks to Rykarda Parasol & the Raven Towers, The Hundred Days, Goodbye Gadget and Mud..we had a super fun halloween auction fundraiser.

The Abyss Club, Sunnyvale

With the R.O.C.K. (Rock On Campus Kick-off) program, the RYA Youth Council organized a fantastic youth event. Bringing over 400 youth for our free youth HIV/AIDS and testing resources outreach event, everyone was having a blast! We gave out goodie bags filled with testing resources, condoms, lube and information.

Collaboration with Outlet, Planned Parenthood, and CATTS. Made possible by the Horizons Foundation.

Photos by TUAN

Did you know that Heart Disease is the #1 killer in men and women in the US? In spreading the knowledge that this disease affects all women, of all cultures, San Jose State University is having a Multi-cultural Red Dress Fashion Show on Monday, February 19th from 7-9pm in the SJSU Ballroom (Student Union). This event will showcase traditional dresses from all cultures and increase awareness about Heart Disease.

We are seeking 3 volunteers (especially SJSU students) to volunteer and run the Raffle table. For more info, please email vanae@rockforaids.org. BE GOOD TO YOUR HEART! Happy Love Day!

On Christmas Day, Vanae (RYA’s Executive Director) and 12 volunteers were at Lytton Gardens, delivering flowers to over 90 low-income seniors in the skilled nursing facility. The simple action of giving a flower and sharing a conversation brought many smiles and much hope to the lonely seniors. It was very touching.

Thanks to our volunteer, Leon, who sponsored the beautiful flowers for this great holiday outreach. We look forward to seeing you at our next volunteer events!

Disco fever? Oh yeah, we all felt it as over 300 youth came out in disco gear to rock with us at the 3rd Annual Rock for AIDS Awareness event! In collaboration with Planned Parenthood, AACI, Billy DeFrank, CATTS, API Wellness Center, we raised awareness and money for Bay Positives and Rock Your Awareness.

Bands: Scissors for Lefty, Honeycut, Julie Plug