Amy Krakow for AIDS, LGBT and Folk Cutlure

Name: Amy Krakow

What is your job?

President, Propaganda Marketing Communications, Inc.

What social causes are most important to you?

AIDS, AIDS EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, URBAN FOLKLORE AND FOLK CULTURE AND PERSERVATION

What charities do you support – and how?

BAILEY HOUSE,  IMPERIAL COURT OF NEW YORK, CITYLORE

 Why do you have a passion for this one in particular, is there a personal tie?

 My father owned a lesbian nightclub in NYC in the 1950’s and early 60’s, when it was illegal to do so.  We marched as a family in the first two gay rights marches.  LGBT causes are extremely important to me because I grew up with lesbians and gays during a time when coming out of the closet wasn't acceptable.  During the early stages of the AIDS crisis, in the early and mid 1980’s, I lost too many friends and business associates to the disease.  So I do all I can to help homeless AIDS patients (Bailey House), and to raise money for various LGBT causes (ICNY).  My love of folk culture,  of which some consider tattoos and tattooing, and observing older folk lore and new folk culture is why I support Citylore.

Is there a particular way you would want to encourage readers to be involved?

The largest segment of the population now getting AIDS or HIV is women of color.  I urge everyone to have lots of sex… safely! Use condoms.    Stop the spread of AIDS easily.  And support your gay and transgendered brothers and sisters. Remember,  those of us who are tattooed choose to be colored… and some people, even now, think we’re “bad” because we’re tattooed.

How would you define social responsibility?

Taking a stand; a position on an issue and supporting your position either through volunteer work, financial contributions, writing letters to editors of newspapers and magazines, sharing information with friends personally, and via social media is all part of social responsibility.  As unique and different as each one of us is/are, we are all on this planet together… and we have responsibility first for ourselves, and then for each other.  Think of the respect you desire and deserve, and extend it to those around you. 

List of your tattoo artists?

Love all of the artists who work at Adorned in New York City, Johnny Thief now in New Jersey, Mike and Mehai Bakaty and being old school,  I love Lyle Tuttle, Shotsie Gorman, the work of Ed Hardy and Bob Roberts,  Jonathan Shaw and many other older tattoo artists.