Wednesday, October 17, 2012

October 2012 - Anti-Bullying Month


I had the privilege to speak at the joint LA Unified School District/Lesbian & Gay Center press conference marking Anti-Bullying Month held at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex on October 17, 2012.

I was interviewed by several TV stations and the LA Times, got to tell my own story, and spoke out against bullying, trying to give other kids hope to resist and stay strong and true to themselves.

Los Angeles Times article http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1018-lausd-gay-20121018,0,7109911.story


CBS 2/KCAL 9 http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/10/17/lausd-la-gay-lesbian-center-join-forces-to-stop-bullying/

KABC 7 http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8851252

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

6th Annual LGBT Youth Awards


My mom Teresa Sitz produced this year's 6th Annual LGBT Youth Awards with LifeWorks at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (LAGLC).


This year $51,000 in scholarships were given away!


Here I am with Downtown Magnets HS principal Brandon Cohen, members of our GSA and our award, our faculty adviser Dixon Perrey and my mom Teresa.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

LA Pride 2012 Honorees Brunch


I was able to attend, along with my parents Teresa and Ken, the 2012 LA Pride honorees brunch on June 2, 2012. This is our second time and it's a great privilege and a opportunity to reconnect with and meet some truly inspiring people.

At the top is me and Katy Butler, an honoree who started an online petition via Change.org to urge the MPAA to change the film Bully's rating from "R" to "PG-13." 500,000 signatures later the MPAA relented and now youth can see the movie.


Here's all of us - Ken, Teresa, me, Katy and Katy's mom Anne Butler.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Heavy Medals!

I took home two medals yesterday - winning first place in both the 800 meter and mile events in the LA Freeway League running with my Downtown Magnets High School Suns track team (Frosh/Soph).

Special thanks to Coach Ms Rojas and all the team and supporters of the DMHS Suns. Go Suns!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Mayor's Garden Party for LGBT Heritage Month


We were lucky enough to attend the Mayor's garden party and dance and meet more exciting people in the community. It's been a big weekend!

Looking forward to attending the 5th Annual LGBT Youth Awards on Tuesday night over at LifeWorks. Got to see my friends Sofia and Milton at the party too!

First Los Angeles LGBT Heritage Month Celebration



With Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the reception.



Reading my poem at the outside celebration.

You can see a video of the City Council ceremony - I'm called up to the podium around 35 minutes in. The whole ceremony was very exciting - just listen to my school mates from Downtown Magnets High School cheering!

Los Angeles City Council - June 3, 2011 http://lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&clip_id=9207

Just Be Yourself, by Elliott Sitz

Stop denying your emotions.
Get out the closet and your shell.
Are you the definition of lies,
Or just living in a personal hell?

It takes a lot of sacrifices, integrity,
And courage to be true,
Not just to Yourself but in
The actions you decide to do.

Don’t be intimidated or ashamed of
What you want to be.
Find the key to your identity
And let yourself be purely free.

There’s nothing sick, or broken, or taboo
About me being gay.
As Singer Lady Gaga says,
“BABY I WAS BORN THIS WAY.”

I think individuals scared of differences
haven’t come to the sense of who they are.
To think of how to be normal and bully people
won’t get you very far.

Don’t use the word normal
If you hang around me.
Just be yourself and
I guarantee, you will live happily.

If someone says, “You’re weird!”
You’re doing something right.
You are bright and upright, too, Despite
It’s not worth a fight.

You can’t make yourself big
By making someone else small.
In this Brawl, the bigger you are
The harder you fall.

A boy can act like a girl
And a girl can act like a boy.
Who cares?
Whatever you enjoy!

Don’t worry if anyone calls you
A derogatory name.
Don’t give it another thought.
You’re not to blame – they’re being lame.
They will always lose to their idiotic game.

They’re all the same. You won’t be tamed.
You’re on the road to fame!

Use you cranium,
Don’t pick on anyone.
Face Reality and study the fact that
There are other ways to have fun
Than trying to stun us with hate
That is too, too overdone.

If you pick on someone
It will sink your reputation.
Your Radiation of hate is a continuation
Of someone’s Termination.
Just stop and take a small Vacation.

Remember you are who you are
No one can take that away from you.
It’s not always easy but
Sooner or later you’ll see it through.