Newsletter: #NOH8Worlwide Launches in the UK; Miss USA 2011 Supports NOH8!

#NOH8Worldwide will finally be hosting its very first open shoot across the proverbial pond in London, the capital of the United Kingdom!

The photo shoot is scheduled to take place on SUNDAY, JULY 3rd at the SOHO HOTEL from 4pm to 8pm. You can find all these details and more on our event page by clicking here.

We're so excited to finally elevate the message of the NOH8 Campaign by hosting our first official shoot in another country. We hosted our first international open shoot on the open water with our Miami Beach Gay Pride Cruise earlier this year, and originally planned to launch our international efforts with a scheduled photo shoot in Tokyo, Japan earlier this year.

Unfortunately, the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan only nine days before our scheduled shoot forced us to postpone our trip; but we're happy to once again have the chance to project NOH8 onto the global stage.

The NOH8 Campaign originally began as a protest to the passage of Proposition 8 in California, which most of you know as the amendment to the California Constitution that banned same-sex marriage. However, the scope of the NOH8 Campaign has grown and adapted to fight for equal rights and an end to discrimination regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other label.

The destructive effect Proposition 8 had on the LGBT Community is not just a California issue; that kind of discrimination is still seen around the world, and it's our responsibility to begin planting the seeds of change in as many places as we possibly can to start changing hearts and minds by telling them who we are - starting with London!

We've have an incredible amount of NOH8 Supporters from England, a few of which are familiar faces across the pond. Mel B. (pictured above), known around the world for her iconic role as Scary Spice of the Spice Girls, posed for the campaign - and brought along the cameras filming her latest television series to help get the word out. She even hosted the NOH8 Campaign's 2nd Anniversary Celebration this past December!

Check out a clip from Mel B.'s NOH8 episode of It's A Scary World, "Don't H8 Mel."

UK Performer and Choreographer Aaron Renfree took his photo while he was in LA as well, even taking the time to film a short video for us (posted below).

Dominic Keating (pictured left below), perhaps most familiar in the US for his role on Star Trek, also made his way to our North Hollywood studio, as well as Stonewall Group Co-Founder Lee Marshall (pictured right). Stonewall Group is the leading gay charity in the UK.

Our next scheduled international effort will take place late July in Montreal, Quebec; our first Canadian photo shoot! We hope to continue adding more international photo shoots to our schedule as we keep traveling throughout the US, spreading our message of no hate.

Miss USA 2011 Supports NOH8!

Self-proclaimed geek Alyssa Campanella might have been known up to this point as Miss California 2011, but that all changed last night when Alyssa was announced as the winner of the 2011 Miss USA Pageant!

MISS USA 2011 ALYSSA CAMPANELLA

Watch as Alyssa is named Miss USA 2011!

NOH8 Supporter and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler reached out to us a few weeks ago to make sure to connect us to Alyssa as soon as she took over crown responsibilities, and we're so thankful for Shanna's continued unwavering support of our campaign and her attempts to always involve new faces with our cause. Alyssa was eager to get involved with our campaign to make it clear where she stood.

Left to Right: TAMIKO NASH (Miss California 2006), SHANNA MOAKLER (Miss New York & Miss USA 1995), and RAQUEL BEEZLEY (Miss California 2008)

The Miss USA 2011 Pageant was hosted by familiar NOH8 Supporters Andy Cohen (left) and Giuliana Rancic (right).

We're absolutely thrilled to announce that only two years later, a beauty queen in support of the NOH8 Campaign and its fight for equal rights has not only managed to secure the Miss California title - but won the Miss USA title as well!

Two years ago, former Miss California Carrie Prejean made headlines at the Miss USA Pageant when Celebrity Judge Perez Hilton (also a NOH8 Supporter) asked Prejean about her stance on same-sex marriage, where Prejean controversially answered she believed marriage to be between a man and a woman. Prejean only received First Runner Up in pursuit of the Miss USA Title.

Last year, we were honored to have the support of Miss California 2010 Nicole Johnson, who was photographed in her white gown from the Miss USA 2010 Pageant.

Nicole posed for her photo (featured right) with Inta Gems Designer Peter Young, who is responsible for crafting the beautiful crowns for all Miss California and Miss Teen California title winners.

Nicole's crown held special significance to Peter, who designed the crown to feature the Love, Unity, and Beauty of California in response to Carrie Prejean's surprising attack on gay marriage.

We wish Alyssa the best of luck with her position as Miss USA 2011 and hope she continues to be an example for young women all over the country.

CONGRATULATIONS ALYSSA!