OUTSpoken Talks with Brandon Stansell and Sabel Samone-Loreca

BRANDON STANSELL is a fresh face onto the Country Music scene, but has always been nearby; honing his craft and finding his voice. SLOW DOWN, co-written with Mylen and the title track off his new EP, is the epicenter of his “California Country” sound with the raw emotion of those first moments in a budding relationship. SLOW DOWN was produced by Nashville-based producer, writer, and guitarist Erik Halbig. Stansell met Erik a few years ago through friend, Ty Herndon, who is featured on the track.

While his casual country sound is appealing, there is more that meets the eye with this crooner of Nashville roots. He is navigating the path of an openly-gay Country Artist. Brandon, while not the first to chart these waters, is one of few people in the industry willing to lay everything out for the listener and the result is an honest, beautiful musical experience.

Director Trent Atkinson, once again, joined his team directing the SLOW DOWN music video and building on the cinematic scope their first collaborative work, DEAR JOHN, which was released in early 2016.

 

Visit his website:  www.brandonstansell.com

Follow Brandon:

https://www.instagram.com/brandonstansell/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNu-vvN73iWMhgLW7CE-anQ

https://www.facebook.com/brandonstansellofficial/

https://twitter.com/brandonstansell

 --------------

 

Sabel Samone-Loreca has engaged in HIV prevention and care work for much of her adult life.  Ms. Samone-Loreca is currently a Commissioner on the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV, holding the SPA 4 Consumer seat.  

University of Florida Keynote Speaker TDOR 2016

Sabel Samone-Loreca was in the Profile of Cover Story for OUT Magazine October 2016

Sabel Samone-Loreca was on the Cover of the 2016 Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual,and Transgender Hertigage Month

Sabel Samone-Loreca was Awarded 2015 Queen USA Most Popular Award

Samone-Loreca  was on the Cover of The Fight Magazine Sponsor Los Angeles Pride 2015 ( Prep and Prejudice)

Samone-Loreca is the cover of Friends Community research ( Alexia’s Project ) Healthy Living Positive Living

Samone-Loreca started her career in social services in 2002, when she moved to Los Angeles. In addition to her HIV-focused work, she has been a ceaseless advocate for youth, trans people, and the homeless.  She has worked with a number of agencies during her career, such as Californians Helping Alleviate Medical Problems (C.H.A.M.P), and Central City Hospitality House in San Francisco focusing on the homeless transgender community. She also worked with Minority AIDS Project and Skid Row Housing and Trust as a peer advocate outreaching to the homeless community.  She was a case manager at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, working in the Division of Adolescent Medicine.

In 2004, Samone-Loreca decided to ‘go public’ and became an HIV Stops With Me spokesmodel. HSWM is a multi-component campaign that utilizes HIV positive spokespeople to deliver prevention messages to the community in person and through mass media. HSWM is one of the longest-running and most highly evaluated HIV prevention campaigns in the U.S.  She continued that form of community outreach for 5 years.   She was 1st runner up for the original Quest for the Cover(now APAIT’s Quest Pageant) and she ran again (and won) in 2005. The Quest Pageant encourages the development and advancement of transgender people and celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of the transgender community. The main goals of Quest are:  to  empower the male-to-female transgender (MTF TG) community with information on HIV transmission and prevention; to provide positive role models and a sense of community to counteract the stigma that leads to low self-esteem and high-risk behaviors among this population; and to train MTF TG advocates and role models on issues of HIV.  Samone-Loreca was a long-time organizer of Trans Unity.  

Samone-Loreca continues to remain a visible, out, HIV-positive trans woman. She has participated in numerous panels and workshops, training both the community and the providers who serve them. She participated in PEP LA (Peers Educating Peers in Los Angeles). She was most recently on the 20/20 Panel Discussion, HIV Past and Present.