WELCOME to any new E-News subscribers! If you think
you've been added by mistake, please follow the
directions at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe.
SPREAD THE WORD - if you like the OutFront Minnesota
E-News, please help us by sharing it with your friends
and family. Forward this message and let them know that
they can
subscribe.
__________
Table
of Contents
1.
Upcoming Listening Sessions...
Interactive sessions designed to provide insights on how
OutFront Minnesota can better serve communities of
color.
2.
Walk for Justice Update... How you
can join our Walk for Justice team.
3.
OutFront Minnesota Staff Honored...
Recent honors for lobbyist C. Scott Cooper and Legal and
Policy Analyst Phil Duran.
4.
Inside OutFront... Reflections from
Rochester GLBTA Pridefest.
__________
Listening Sessions
New
interactive sessions increase visibility, dialogue, and
promotes change within the GLBT community for GLBT
people of color in Minnesota
In
an effort to make our home a place where all GLBT
Minnesotans have the freedom, power, and confidence to
make the best choices for their own lives, OutFront
Minnesota is pleased to invite GLBT people of color to
take part in our upcoming Listening Sessions.
You talk, we listen… we want and need to hear your
voice! These two sessions will begin to help us
better understand the needs of GLBT people of color and
ensure inclusiveness in all our programs and services.
With your participation and input we can:
-
Identify barriers to GLBT persons of color to
participating in OutFront Minnesota.
-
Understand the needs of GLBT persons
throughout the state.
-
Provide insights and information on how
OutFront Minnesota can better serve communities of
color.
-
Develop stronger relationships with
individuals in communities of color.
-
Encourage volunteer diversity for OutFront
Minnesota.
-
Involve new stakeholders in shaping
OutFront Minnesota.
Dr. H. Yvonne Cheek of the Millennium Consulting Group
has been invited to work with OutFront Minnesota to
co-design and facilitate the new project. Dr. Cheek and
her multi-ethnic team of associates work with private,
public, and non-profit organizations to accelerate
intentional change.
Participants may attend a session on September 15th or
28th. Location and RSVP instructions will be announced
next week. We encourage all GLBT people of color
to attend, participate, and help OutFront Minnesota
become a stronger and better resource for everyone in
Minnesota's GLBT community.
__________
OutFront Minnesota Walk
for Justice Team Update
Of
the nearly 80 teams signed up for the Headwaters
Foundation Walk for Justice, the OutFront Minnesota Team
has now slipped into 5th place (down from 4th last week)
in rank of amount of money raised. Our
team members are doing a great job, but to get up to
first place, we need you!
The Headwaters Walk for Justice is an event designed to
help social justice organizations raise money and
visibility for their cause. This year the event will be
held on Sunday, September 18, 2005 at Boom Island Park
in Minneapolis.
It's not too late to join the OutFront Minnesota team
and help build support for GLBT equality in Minnesota.
Through the Walk for Justice, team members raise money
to support the programs of OutFront Minnesota. There's
no minimum level of fundraising, so this 3-mile walk is
for everyone! For more information, visit our
website.
__________
OutFront Minnesota Staff
Honored
C. Scott Cooper named as a 2005-2006 Humphrey
Institute Fellow
OutFront Minnesota is proud to announce that C. Scott
Cooper has been chosen by the Humphrey Institute Policy
Forum as a 2005-2006 Policy Fellow. C. Scott works for
OutFront Minnesota in representing GLBT interests at the
State Capital and has been instrumental in the fight to
keep the gay marriage amendment off the ballot, not to
mention many other key legislative issues. In 1992 and
1993 he served as one of three co-chairs of the It’s
Time Minnesota Campaign which resulted in an amendment
to the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the nation’s first
statewide definition of sexual orientation to include
transgender individuals.
This
prestigious honor is awarded each year to 25 to 30
Fellows to participate in the program. They come from
all over Minnesota and have a variety of careers and
community activities. The
Policy Fellows program encourages in-depth
reflection and lively, respectful debate. Fellows
participate in monthly policy seminars and attend Policy
Forum conferences, read briefing papers and journal
articles on conference-related topics, take a study trip
to Washington, D.C., and complete a group project. The
aim is for Fellows to develop an understanding of
complex public policy issues while forging relationships
with other emerging leaders; both will assist them as
they continue to lead in public affairs.
Phil Duran elected to state bar post
OutFront Minnesota is pleased to announce that its Legal
& Policy Analyst, Phil Duran, was elected to a position
on the executive council of the
Minnesota State Bar
Association (MSBA) on July 15. Duran, who is also
co-chair of OutFront Minnesota's ally, the
Minnesota Lavender
Bar Association (MLBA), has been involved with the
MSBA for several years, serving on its Diversity and
Governance committees. He was elected to one of two
council seats reserved for "minority bar associations,"
of which MLBA is one. In 2004, he led the successful
effort to lobby the MSBA to endorse a resolution
opposing an amendment to the state constitution barring
legal recognition of same-sex couples, one of several
GLBT-positive steps the MSBA has taken in recent years.
Congratulations C. Scott and Phil on your
achievements! We are proud to have you working on
our team.
__________
Inside OutFront
...an
insider's view of the day-to-day work of OutFront
Minnesota...
This week's Inside OutFront is a reflection on the
annual Rochester GLBTA PrideFest from OutFront Minnesota
Communications Director, Lou Vlahos.
On Saturday, July 16, I had the pleasure of attending
the Rochester 2005 PrideFest along with my colleagues,
Scott Fearing, Monica Meyer, and Becky Smith. With the
heat pushing up into the high 90's, the GLBT community
showed the rainbow colors proudly in Central Park.
Regardless of whether you were a vendor or attendee,
everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Especially the
"multi-talented hostess" of PrideFest, Bob Werner, who
entertained all of us with his great personality and
many costume changes. To your credit Bob, "Hillary"
never looked so good!
To the entire Rochester PrideFest team, congratulations
on a job well done! This was my first Rochester Pride
and I can tell you that it made me proud to be gay. The
display of support and community unity was outstanding.
From a vendor standpoint, things ran beautifully and
from an attendee, lots to enjoy during the day.
As we gear up for the next legislative session, we need
to keep the "spirit and bond" of Pride that unites all
of us together in our struggle for equal rights. Pride
is not only about having fun and "showing our colors,"
it is our message to everyone in Minnesota of our
continuing growth and strength. I urge everyone to go
out and attend all of the "Pride" celebrations across
our state. Rochester, congratulations and thanks again
for your contribution, it was great!
__________
Looking for something to do?
Look
no further than OutFront Minnesota's
Community Calendar!
OutFront Minnesota's web-based community calendar is THE
place to check for events and happenings this summer.
Are you planning an event that you want the GLBT and
allied community to know about? It's easy to
submit your event! OutFront Minnesota is proud
to offer community organizations this opportunity to
reach others.
Check it out each week for more current events!
__________
If
you received this edition of OutFront Minnesota E-News
as a forwarded message and would like to be added to our
e-mail list,
sign up
here.
Please note that in the interest of better serving our
supporters, OutFront Minnesota does not sell, rent, or
lend its email or member list to outside parties.
Support the work of Minnesota's largest GLBT political
advocacy and direct service organization.
Become a member today! |
