Marc Adams November 7, 2011

Monday, November 7, 2011 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Ram's Head Inn‎
9 West White Horse Pike
Galloway, NJ 08201
(609) 652-1700
RamsHeadInn.com‎

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147032332060545

The Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance presents author and activist Marc Adams and his presentation, "Hope Needs Only Hands & Hearts." The presentation takes place on Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rams Head Inn, 9 W. Whitehorse Pike, Galloway. Marc Adams' visit is part of HeartStrong's 48th Outreach & Education Trip.

"Ever so lightly, I ran the edge of the blade across my ...left wrist, This
one, I thought to myself, would be for my failures. Switching hands, I ran the blade across my right wrist. This one would be for being gay. I
turned the blade at an angle and continued to scratch my right wrist until
the skin turned white. This wrist, the one I had marked to bear the pain
of my homosexuality, in and of itself, was enough for which to die. The
cut I would make would deliver to me my freedom. No more lies, no more
ruined friendships, and no more shame." Marc Adams' autobiography, The
Preacher's Son, begins with a riveting journey through the darkest moments of the author's life; his journey from fundamentalism to freedom.

"I was a junior at Liberty University," Adams says. "I was tired of the
bullying, the bullying I was doing to others and my failure to change my
behavior from gay to straight. I felt so trapped. I couldn't see my life
progressing beyond that moment."

Adams' recent presentations at Harvard University and Rutgers University
came amidst a national surge in reported suicides of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender youth. For Adams, the stories of GLBT young people taking their own lives is a common occurrence.

"Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are four times more likely
to consider suicide than their heterosexual counterparts," Adams says. "I
was almost one of those statistics. When you are in that place of darkness
where you cannot see your heart in your own hand, it seems the only escape is to disappear."

After a lengthy journey to self-acceptance, Adams founded the nonprofit
social justice organization HeartStrong to make every possible effort to reach GLBT students from religious educational institutions. Adams is an award winning author of nine books including, Do's and Don'ts of Dealing with the Religious Right and It's Not About You: Understanding Coming Out & Self-Acceptance. In 2011, HeartStrong launched its Youth Empowerment Project which provides educator's resource guides to every public, private & religious school counselor.

"Hope is everything" Adams continues. "I will spend the rest of my life
offering that hope to GLBT persons so maybe one day we won't have to hear stories about GLBT youth ending their lives. I have set the pattern of my life to inspire others to offer hope. I believe hope and human kindness can change everything."

Official Website: http://www.prideparade.us/2011/11/marc-adams.html