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1.
Together
Minnesota! Campaign Update... December
8th, 6:30 - 8:30pm Community Update Meeting.
2.
"Something to be Thankful for..."
a story of thanks from an OutFront Minnesota
volunteer.
3.
Community Action Trainings...
first date set in Eagan!
4. People of Faith
Meet at Shir Tikvah Synagogue...
5. Grant
Announcements... OutFront Minnesota
Community Services receives grants from the John Larsen
Foundation and the Jay and Rose Phillips Family
Foundation.
6.
OutFront Minnesota Legal Program offering educational
series...
7.
OutFront Minnesota Launches New Search Feature...
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Campaign Update:
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TogetherMinnesota!
It’s About More than Marriage
GLBT
Community Meeting
HRC,
Task Force, and National Center for Transgender
Equality To Speak
December 8th, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Dr. Martin Luther King Center
270 Kent Street, St. Paul
651-224-4601
TogetherMinnesota! welcomes guests, Mara
Keisling, Executive Director of the National
Center for Transgender Equality; Dave Noble,
Political Director with the Task
Force-Washington D.C.; and Bo Shuff, National
HRC Staff-Washington, D.C. to a community
meeting in St Paul. TogetherMinnesota! and their
guests will share insights and thoughts on
Minnesota’s upcoming legislative battle, as well
as other important information about what’s
happening nationally for GLBT rights.
In addition, TogetherMinnesota! will give an
overview of the rally that was held in
opposition to the Minnesota Family Council’s
recent "Pastor’s Summit" on marriage. Whether
you want to be actively involved or simply want
to know more about what is happening for GLBT
people, this is THE meeting to attend! |
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"Something to be Thankful
for..."
A
story of thanks from an OutFront Minnesota volunteer.
It’s that time of year when Americans reflect and give
thanks. An OutFront Minnesota volunteer recently shared
his story of thanks:
“[When I volunteered at Pride] I met one young man who
was 17 and living at home. He was deathly afraid of
being found out by his conservative family. But he was
thrilled to discover OutFront and even signed a postcard
to his legislator, risking the chance that he’d get
return mail at his parents’ home. It was a courageous
act on his part. It reminded me how important it is for
each one of us to do what we can to advance the cause,
and how thankful we need to be for those who take risks
every day in doing so.”
What are you thankful for? If you’re thankful to have a
community organization that works year-round to build a
Minnesota where GLBT and allied people have the freedom,
power, and confidence to make the best decisions for
their own lives, make a contribution today to express
your thanks. Your
tax-deductible gift to OutFront Minnesota Community
Services will go a long way toward building a fair and
welcoming Minnesota.
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Community Action Trainings
On
December 15, 2005, TogetherMinnesota!, an affiliate of
OutFront Minnesota, will be kicking off Community Action
Trainings (CATs). These trainings will provide a space
for GLBTA people to meet throughout Minnesota to discuss
how their local grassroots organizing can continue to
flourish during the legislative session and beyond.
Trained local and community leaders will discuss
concrete action plans, effective tools, and a forum for
exploring new ideas to expand our ally base. Register
now to be a part of the 1,000+ people who will go
through a CAT by the start of the legislative session.
Dates Currently Scheduled:
December 15, 2005
6:30 - 9:00pm
Eagan Community Center,
1501 Central Parkway, Eagan
Click here to register for a Community Action Training.
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People of Faith Meet at Shir Tikvah
Synagogue
This week, people of all faiths met at the Shir Tikvah
Synagogue to hear Rabbi Stacy Offner and the Jewish
faith perspective on same-sex marriage. Rabbi Offner
gave an inspiring talk that covered the key GLBT issues
facing all religions today.
As
the first woman and openly lesbian rabbi in Minnesota,
Rabbi Offner gave a straight and candid response to
those who would claim their own religious beliefs to be
the same for all people of faith.
Regarding the amendment: “This amendment is
absurd. What we have to remember is there are some real
people who just don’t see the way we see. We need to
engage in dialogue. There is a staking of claim of
property that people of faith see things one certain
way. Well, WE ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH AND WE DON’T SEE
THINGS THE SAME WAY. But, need to help them see
through a religious vocabulary/dialogue and challenge
the issues of those who claim to have the corner on the
religious market.”
Regarding the definition of marriage: “The
purpose of marriage in Jewish life and law is to create
a partnership with God in repairing the world. It is not
to have children.”
In
addition, a 10-minute video was also shown to the group
from the Pastor’s Summit Protest Rally held in Eden
Prairie. Copies of the video are available at OutFront
Minnesota and can be purchased for $10. Contact
Lou Vlahos,
Communications Director, to place your order. Be sure to
include all your contact information.
The next meeting is scheduled for January 9th and will
be a “people of faith” training on the amendment.
Don’t miss this event!
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Grant Announcements
OutFront Minnesota Community Services receives grants
from the John Larsen Foundation and the Jay and Rose
Phillips Family Foundation.
Last week, the John Larsen Foundation awarded OutFront
Minnesota Community Services a $20,000 grant to support
our general operations. The grant provides funding for
the community building, education, and direct service
programs of OutFront. This is the third grant that OFMCS
has received from the John Larsen Foundation.
The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation also awarded
a grant to OutFront Minnesota Community Services last
week. The $50,000 grant will support the next phase of
OutFront Minnesota’s justFair Campaign, our
effort to create systemic change in our state by
developing grassroots support for human rights and
moving the needle of public opinion from negative to
positive on GLBT issues. The Jay and Rose Phillips
Family Foundation has been a staunch supporter of
OutFront Minnesota Community Services for several years.
OutFront Minnesota Community Services wishes to thank
the John Larsen Foundation and the Jay and Rose Phillips
Family Foundation for their generous support. These
foundations join the Bush Foundation, the Gill
Foundation, the Headwaters Foundation for Justice, the
Minneapolis Foundation, the Minnesota State Bar
Foundation, and the Saint Paul Travelers Foundation in
proudly supporting the work of OutFront Minnesota
Community Services.
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OutFront Minnesota Legal Program
offering educational series
Every week, the OutFront Minnesota Legal Program
receives inquiries from members of the GLBT community
with questions about a wide range of legal issues. Now,
community members have the opportunity to attend free
and informal presentations by local attorneys to learn
more about their rights under the law -- or challenges
the laws present. The sessions are scheduled to take
place in Minneapolis on Jan. 3rd, Feb. 7th, and March
7th, 2006. Visit us
online for more information and to register (space
IS limited!)
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OutFront Minnesota Launches New
Search Feature
As
is often the case with rapidly growing web sites, the
more information you make available to
visitors—sometimes the harder it can become to find a
particular piece of information quickly. With the
OutFront Minnesota web site now approaching 400 pages of
resources, organizational directories, voting records,
news stories, action alerts, and other useful items, we
decided it was time to add a full-featured search
engine. We always try to keep our online resources
organized, but a quick
search can be helpful on occasion!
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Looking for something to do?
Events of interest to the GLBT and allied community.
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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