By: Martin Alatorre
The Sin City Classic is a multi-day LGBTQ+ sports festival hosted annually by The Greater Los Angeles Softball Association (GLASA) in Las Vegas during the four days prior to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday 1/14-1/16/2022. Started in 2008, the event has grown to become the largest annual LGBTQ+ sporting event in the world.
Each year nearly 8,000 LGBTQ+ athletes and another 2,000 fans and allies supporting 20-plus sports make Sin City Classic one of their must-attend events each year. The festival provides an open atmosphere for LGBTQ+ athletes to connect and compete through various sports over the course of four days of competition and social activities.
GLASA is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) sports organization. GLASA owns and operates the Sin City Classic and works closely with more than twenty other LGBTQ+ sports league partners for the festival.
Sin City Classic grew from a softball tournament to a sports festival made up of 24 different sports, multiple social events and more than 8,000 athletes. This is the path to becoming the world’s largest, annual LGBTQ+ sporting event.
The event was sponsored by companies such as Lexus, Titos Vodka, Ceasars Entertainment, Red Bull, AIDS HealthCare Foundation, Los Angeles Dodgers, Gayvn, Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023, Piranaha nightclub, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and last but not least Wesley Health Centers.
This year Wesley Health Centers PrEP Navigators were invited to attend, educate and outreach to athletes and supporters on the efforts to End the Epidemic by 2030. These outreach approaches are necessary to ensuring widespread access to prevention, treatment, and care.
Despite the added challenges brought on by the global pandemic, experts believe we are on the right track to meet our goal of reducing new HIV infections 90 % by 2030. Wesley Health Centers would like to thank the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association for letting us be part of such a great opportunity to bring awareness to GLASA, Long Beach and the rest of the athletes that participated in this year’s festivities and tournament.
If you would like to join an LGBTQ sport league near your area, please see the following links:
Greater Los Angeles Softball Association
https://www.glasasoftball.org/
North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance
Sin City Classic Tournament
https://www.sincityclassic.org/
United States Gay Sports Network
https://www.usgsn.com/
Wesley PrEP Navigators: Phyllis Richardson, Linda Fierro, Ivan Rubal, Raul M. Quintero, Arnoldo Serrano, Julio Del Cid Gomez, Ricardo Cuevas, Nereyda Felix, Jivan Darbeau, Francisco Armenta and Flora Salas. LA Ruffnex Softball Players: Manager, Indar Singh, Jose Fuentes and team.
About Wesley Health Centers:
• Web: http://jwchinstitute.org/
• Video Link: https://conta.cc/3mEN55y
• Donate here: https://smile.amazon.com/
Any questions PrEP, HIV/AIDS and STI questions email us at: linkage@jwch.org or ask for your nearest PrEP Navigator in your area. Call us at 1-866- 733-5924 and make your appointment for Primary or HIV Care.