NEWS RELEASE
12-08-06
AIDS Housing Coalition Houston-AHCH-Inc.
502 W. 24th St Houston, TX 77008 @ 713.864.1795 Ph/Fx
ahch@wt.net Contact: Matt Locklin, Exe Dir.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE____________________________________________
“Gay Community Organizer Matt Locklin to be Honored on Pacifica Radio”.
-Listeners of the Pacifica radio network in December, 2006 will meet on air with Houston’s most recent “Jefferson Awards” recipient. January, 2007 winner & GLBT community organizer “Mr. Matt Locklin”, will be greeted by on-air Hostess Ms. Deborah Bell - on KPFT 90.1 12-18-06 @ 8 PM. -Appearing on Pacifica programming - “Queer Voices”. Queer Voices is lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender issues specific broadcast. One that taps the pulse of both the local and national GLBT community, providing insightful interviews and thought provoking commentary. Locklin, was the award winning TV host & producer for the old “AIDS Talk Houston TV” and “Montrose 77006 TV” shows broadcast on the Houston Public Access – ch.17.
Featured guest Matt Locklin, is described as a self-empowered human being - living with the HIV virus and the side effects of AIDS, since 1991. Successfully founded (1994) and now serves as volunteer Executive Director of the non-profit organization AIDS Housing Coalition Houston-AHCH –Inc. Managing in a dual role, as Operations CEO at the West Heights House community home.
The WHH program is a GLBT positive- HIV/AIDS- shelter, under AHCH. The only HIV + non-medical setting shelter still open - in the Houston area. Locklin, obtained seed money from the Houston Endowment Foundation for F/Y 2002-03. The West Heights House opened under the encouragement & guidance of Congresswomen Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee in 2002. AHCH-inc. does not use government grants and instead relies solely on public and private foundation, tax deductible donations.
GLBT community politician, Mr. Matt Locklin, was recently elected to serve in city government as Co-Chair of the City of Houston - Citizen Review Committee- for HOPWA. A multi-million dollar budget - reserved for housing opportunities for people with AIDS in Harris County, TX. This is historic, as the GLBT & AIDS communities and others had no meaningful input in past decades of budgets expended. Locklin previously held elected positions as (d) Pct Judge; and served as an elected executive officer on the Harris County Hospital district’s Council-at-Large. Matt was the campaign manager former city council & openly gay candidate, the late, great - Mr. Brian Bradley.
In September, 2006 Matt Locklin and AHCH-inc. was also recognized and given a humanitarian award by the Islamic charities based – House of Charity. Based on his life-saving work in the GLBT and AIDS emergency housing arenas.
_END
