OutFront Minnesota E-News
a collection of news, notices, and action alerts for people concerned with GLBT issues in Minnesota

Thursday, August 4, 2005

1. Council Updates Anti-bias Language... Winona protects gays and lesbians from housing discrimination.
2. Minneapolis Selected as Host City for NCAVP Conference... Anti-violence advocates from around the country will meet in Minneapolis.
3. It Pays to Advertise!... OutFront Minnesota member shares justFair message with Governor Pawlenty.
4. Walk for Justice Update... 117 teams and 520 walkers are currently signed up to walk.
5. Inside OutFront... Core Operative Group to be launched in September.

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Council Updates Anti-bias Language

The city of Winona changed its laws Monday to extend protection against housing discrimination to gays, lesbians and others not explicitly mentioned in the current city ordinance.

The City Council voted unanimously to replace language in the ordinance that names protected classes and instead to simply follow current state and federal statutes.

For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2005/08/02/news/council_02.txt

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Minneapolis Selected as Host City for NCAVP Conference

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has selected Minneapolis as the host city for its May 2006 Annual Conference. OutFront Minnesota is excited that anti-violence program representatives from all over the country will be coming to Minneapolis to meet on key issues and see OutFront Minnesota in action!

Annually, the NCAVP produces a report detailing criminal activity against the GLBT communities. This past April, OutFront Minnesota held a press conference at the State Capitol to present the 2004 report and discuss the increase in hate/bias crime activity throughout Minnesota. Within the past two years, hate/bias activity in Minnesota has increased 34%. The highest increases have been in the area of physical assault, by more than one perpetrator on a single victim.

OutFront Minnesota has been involved with the NCAVP since its inception in 1995 and in fact, is one of its founding members. The Coalition is a network of anti-violence programs throughout the U.S. that work specifically with GLBT communities to address issues of domestic and sexual violence, as well as criminal hate/bias activity.

Watch our E-News for more information on planned community events during the national conference. At that time you can meet NCAVP advocates and help us welcome them to the delights of a Minnesota spring!

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It Pays to Advertise!
OutFront Minnesota member shares justFair message with Governor Pawlenty

Steve Humerickhouse, a member of the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus and an OutFront Minnesota volunteer and donor, recently sent this note out to all of the members of the TCGMC's list serve.

'On National Night Out, my partner and I joined several of our neighbors in the Cleveland Neighborhood in Near North Minneapolis where we had gathered for our block party. At one point I looked up and saw a familiar face, but not a neighbor-- coming up the street towards us was... Governor Pawlenty!

He and his entourage ate and chatted with us for about 45 minutes. While talking to him, I mentioned which house was ours. Of course, we have an OutFront Minnesota justFair lawn sign in the corner of our corner lot facing the intersection. I realized that all of the Governor's cars were parked directly facing our sign calling for equality for GLBT citizens--he could not have missed it!

I realized that it is a simple thing--a sign in a yard. But you never know who will see it and what affect it may have. If you don't have one, I encourage you to contact OutFront Minnesota and get one for your yard.'

To get your justFair lawn sign, visit our website.

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Walk for Justice Update
117 teams and 520 walkers currently signed up to walk

To date, 117 organizations and 520 walkers have signed up for the Headwaters Foundation Walk for Justice, an annual event designed to help social justice organizations raise money and visibility for their cause.

The OutFront Minnesota Walk for Justice Team, currently made up of 17 dedicated activists, will be part of that group, walking to show support for GLBT equality. Join us! The more people we have on our team, the more money we can raise to support this important work and the more effective we’ll be at raising awareness of GLBT issues.

We want you! Join the OutFront Minnesota Walk for Justice Team and help build support for GLBT equality in Minnesota. The Walk for Justice is held at Boom Island Park on Sunday, September 18.

Can't join the team?  Show your support by making a donation in honor of one of our team members.

JoAnn Boudreau
Matthew Christianson
Jeff Dean
Ann DeGroot
Scott Fearing
George Hamm
Anne Hansen
Terry Jones
Taina Maki
Laura McCarty
Monica Meyer
Mark Richter
Steve Robbins and Scott Syverson
Matt Seering
Becky Smith
Lou Vlahos
Rebecca Waggoner Kloek

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Inside OutFront
...an insider's view of the day-to-day work of OutFront Minnesota...

Be a volunteer, be the change.
The Volunteer Program plays a crucial role in everything OutFront Minnesota does, and nowhere is that more apparent than in our Public Policy department. Volunteers are a part of public policy organizing at every turn, from carrying clipboards to maintaining our database. Volunteers are a key reason why we have been able to withstand the efforts of our opponents at the Capitol the last three years.

Next year we will face our strongest test yet. Our opponents have already declared their intention to reintroduce the anti-marriage constitutional amendment in an election year and we will be ready! Volunteer activism will play a major role over the next 15 months. We have already exponentially increased the number of active volunteers, plus increased the variety and number of work opportunities for our volunteers.

Starting in September, we will launch a new program for volunteer activism called the Core Operative Group or COG. This will be a platform to increase our capacity for activism, by training volunteer activists and developing leadership skills in our volunteer force. Regular meetings will feature guest speakers, planned exercises, and networking. COG volunteers will have input into the shape of our public policy activism and will be trained to carry out that work in a strategic manner.

In the past few years, our volunteers have proven themselves to be committed, passionate, and capable. As a non-profit agency, the work they perform saves OutFront Minnesota considerable expense while bringing in valuable talent and fresh ideas vital to our continued success. We are pleased to be able to develop this new volunteer initiative and are excited about the possibilities it will offer our volunteers and mission as we prepare for the challenges of 2006.

Make you connection with volunteering at OutFront Minnesota, and our Core Operative Group, by visiting our volunteer page at www.outfront.org/programs/volunteers.html or contact our volunteer coordinator, Connie Kauppi, at volunteer@outfront.org or by phone at 612-822-0127 ext 100.

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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!

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