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Saturday, May 31, 2008

Author Les Wright, editor of The Bear Book I and The Bear Book II and founder of the Bear History Project has many projects in the works yet he's needing some assistance, mostly from webmasters. The following is from Les, and if you're interested, then make sure to contact him:

"I launched the original BHP (Bear History Project) around 1997. In a matter of a couple of years it grew and grew and grew; I organized the BHP into a 501c3 nonprofit, called it the Nashoba Institute, and it continued to grow... and to be funded out of my pocket. By 2004, I could no longer afford to fund the whole of it, and I had decided to quit my teaching post and move back home to San Francisco. I have also been doing a lot of serious self-examination and re-viewing of what the Bear community has become since the 1980s.
 
After three years back in San Francisco, I have been able to find part-time teaching, but am now following through on a massive career and life calling changes. I have very limited finances at this time, I am looking to develop some of what I propose to do into gainful employment, some will be donated to the community. I have three web site projects to develop and launch. I am open to partnership, collaboration, or barter and, eventually, service for fee as I can afford to do so.
 
1) www.bearhistory.com will be a web-based resource for Bear history and related gay men's tribal homo-masculine communities: basic factual history, grassroots and academic content, oral histories (transcribed), videos, photo/pictorial galleries; social, sexual, spiritual, aesthetic aspects of 'culture', progressive, eco-friendly, global village perspectives, non-commercially defined subcultures, etc.
 
2) www.leskwright.com will be my personal professional page, to include my bio, resume academic CV), selections published writing (web-based and print), bibliography of published materials, links to a new blog, and professional services and activities - writer, editor, photographer, video documentary project, the Lazarus Generation (AIDS survivors essays book project), etc.
 
(3) www.thinkingbear.com will be my entrepreneurial web presence, for a new Cultural Events business I have been brainstorming for a long time now - it could include revitalized 'Bear Icons & Beyond' art exhibition type projects (as commercial business venture, not developed and donated out of my now nonexistent purse); Bear Camp weekend retreats in the manner of Easton Mountain, Hillside Campgrounds, etc. (I have a site available in northern California). These would be alternative type events, something a bit different form the Bear circuit events now held, hopefully".

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The following is from Les Wright - editor of The Bear Book I and The Bear Book II: "Artists and writers who celebrate, investigate, chronicle, explore, or otherwise engage creatively with Bears - Bear identity, Bear community, Bear culture, Bear sensibility – are welcome to submit a proposal to participate in Ursology 2008, a two-hour salon, consisting of a reading and display of original works of art.

For the second year in a row, Ursology, the Bear literary and arts salon, will take place during IBR . That’s Saturday, February 16th at Holiday Inn on Van Ness Avenue, the host hotel in San Francisco.

Ursology 2008 is being organized by Les Wright, founder and curator of the original Bear History Project (Nashoba Institute) and of the Bear Icons and beyond art exhibitions (1999-2002). Proposals, samples of writing or artwork, all inquiries may be sent to the organizer via email (note: a 'placeholder' webpage can be found at BearHistory.com ).

Individuals interested in becoming involved in the development of future Ursology programs or the redevelopment of the Nashoba Institute and the Bear History Project are encouraged to contact Les, and to consider attending a planning meeting immediately following the 2008 salon".