Chris Bartlett (activist)
Encyclopedia
Chris Bartlett is a gay activist, feminist, educator, and researcher who lives in Philadelphia, PA, and is the Executive Director of The William Way Community Center
.
from Brown University
in 1988 and a second Bachelor of Arts in Literae Humaniores
from New College, Oxford
in 1991.
He was director of the SafeGuards Gay Men’s Health Project in Philadelphia from 1991–2001, where he developed innovative programs addressing the broader health needs of gay
and bisexual men beyond HIV and AIDS.
In his early research, he directed a survey of over 1400 gay and bisexual men in the Philadelphia region in order to assess their risk for HIV
, STDs
and other health challenges.
In 2003, Bartlett joined forces with gay activist Eric Rofes
to create the Gay Men’s Health Leadership Academy, a national center for excellence for leadership development of gay and bisexual men and their allies based at the White Crane Institute
. The Academy hosts biannual retreats on the East Coast (Greenwich, NY) and the West Coast (Guerneville, CA) of the United States, and also works with organizations and governments to strengthen their cadres of gay leadership. Since Rofes'
death, the program has been co-facilitated by Kevin Trimell Jones of Philadelphia, PA; Fred Lopez of San Francisco, CA; Scott Pegues of Denver, CO; and Kaijson Noilmar of Seattle, WA.
In 2005, He directed the LGBT Community Assessment, an assessment of the broad health related needs of LGBT populations in the Philadelphia region. The City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Foundation subsequently funded an LGBT Youth Assessment, which he also directed.
In 2008, Bartlett received a grant from the Arcus Foundation to create the LGBT
Leadership
Initiative, a convening of thinkers in the United States about the strategic leadership needs of LGBT
communities in the United States. His leadership interests include intergenerational communication and connection, as well as mentorship of younger leaders. In the November, 2008 Instinct Magazine he was named one of the "Leading Men of 2008."
He has created an on-line Wiki
to document the deaths of gay men from AIDS
between 1981 and the present. The site acts as an on-line AIDS
quilt, on which community members and families can document the lives of their friends and loved ones.
Bartlett is also a long-time leader in the Gay Men’s Health Movement, both nationally and internationally. He has participated in each of the Gay Men’s Health Summits and LGBTI Health Summit
s as an organizer and presenter, as well as presenting at the Warning Gay Men’s Health Summit in Paris
, France
, in 2005.
His work has shown a continuing interest in participatory democracy
, starting with his early participation in ACT UP Philadelphia. His current work focuses on the role of social media
, including Twitter
, Facebook
, Ning, and other tools in developing on-line communities that can participate in effective social change. Out of his engagement in social media work, he hosted the TEDx
conference in Philadelphia on November 18, 2010. He is a member of the Philadelphia circle of Radical Faeries
.
William Way Community Center
The William Way LGBT Center is a nonprofit organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and nearby communities, located at 1315 Spruce Street in Philadelphia....
.
Life and works
Bartlett grew up in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in ClassicsClassics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1988 and a second Bachelor of Arts in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
from New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
in 1991.
He was director of the SafeGuards Gay Men’s Health Project in Philadelphia from 1991–2001, where he developed innovative programs addressing the broader health needs of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and bisexual men beyond HIV and AIDS.
In his early research, he directed a survey of over 1400 gay and bisexual men in the Philadelphia region in order to assess their risk for HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, STDs
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
and other health challenges.
In 2003, Bartlett joined forces with gay activist Eric Rofes
Eric Rofes
Eric Rofes was a gay activist, feminist, educator, and author who wrote or edited 12 books.-Life and works:Rofes grew up in Commack, New York and he graduated from Harvard University...
to create the Gay Men’s Health Leadership Academy, a national center for excellence for leadership development of gay and bisexual men and their allies based at the White Crane Institute
White Crane Institute
White Crane Institute is a United States non-profit organization headquartered in New York State.White Crane Institute is an educational non-profit dedicated to publishing the Gay wisdom and culture quarterly magazine White Crane .The institute has published classics in modern gay literature...
. The Academy hosts biannual retreats on the East Coast (Greenwich, NY) and the West Coast (Guerneville, CA) of the United States, and also works with organizations and governments to strengthen their cadres of gay leadership. Since Rofes'
Eric Rofes
Eric Rofes was a gay activist, feminist, educator, and author who wrote or edited 12 books.-Life and works:Rofes grew up in Commack, New York and he graduated from Harvard University...
death, the program has been co-facilitated by Kevin Trimell Jones of Philadelphia, PA; Fred Lopez of San Francisco, CA; Scott Pegues of Denver, CO; and Kaijson Noilmar of Seattle, WA.
In 2005, He directed the LGBT Community Assessment, an assessment of the broad health related needs of LGBT populations in the Philadelphia region. The City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Foundation subsequently funded an LGBT Youth Assessment, which he also directed.
In 2008, Bartlett received a grant from the Arcus Foundation to create the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
Initiative, a convening of thinkers in the United States about the strategic leadership needs of LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
communities in the United States. His leadership interests include intergenerational communication and connection, as well as mentorship of younger leaders. In the November, 2008 Instinct Magazine he was named one of the "Leading Men of 2008."
He has created an on-line Wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
to document the deaths of gay men from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
between 1981 and the present. The site acts as an on-line AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
quilt, on which community members and families can document the lives of their friends and loved ones.
Bartlett is also a long-time leader in the Gay Men’s Health Movement, both nationally and internationally. He has participated in each of the Gay Men’s Health Summits and LGBTI Health Summit
LGBTI Health Summit
The LGBTI Health Summits are an opportunity for individuals working for the health of intersex, trans, bisexual, lesbian and gay people to meet and share ideas...
s as an organizer and presenter, as well as presenting at the Warning Gay Men’s Health Summit in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in 2005.
His work has shown a continuing interest in participatory democracy
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
, starting with his early participation in ACT UP Philadelphia. His current work focuses on the role of social media
Social media
The term Social Media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as "a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0,...
, including Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, Ning, and other tools in developing on-line communities that can participate in effective social change. Out of his engagement in social media work, he hosted the TEDx
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
conference in Philadelphia on November 18, 2010. He is a member of the Philadelphia circle of Radical Faeries
Radical Faeries
The Radical Faeries are a loosely-affiliated, worldwide network and counter-cultural movement seeking to reject hetero-imitation and redefine queer identity through spirituality. The Radical Faerie movement started in the United States among gay men during the 1970s sexual and counterculture...
.