Badpuppy Gay Today |
Wednesday, 18 March 1998 |
The leaders of 39 national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community-based organizations or associations engaged in national policy work met in Washington, D.C. on March 12-13, 1998 at the second bi-annual meeting of GLBT activists. The goal of the National Policy Roundtable is to foster dialogue among those national GLBT organizations engaged in public policy advocacy at the national level. The Roundtable meets every six months and provides a forum for policy-oriented and strategic discussions. The meeting opened with a series of substantive briefings in three critical areas: congressional action on GLBT issues, updates on HIV policy, and updates on legal and court cases past and pending. Presentations to the Roundtable were made by Winnie Stachelberg, Political Director, Human Rights Campaign; Chai Feldblum, Director, Federal Legislation Clinic, Georgetown University Law Center; Amy Anderson, AIDS Action Council; Kate Kendell, Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights; and Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director, Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund. Briefings were followed by a two-hour presentation from organizers of two actions currently in the planning stages: a national march on Washington (called for Spring 2000) and a nationally coordinated series of state actions (set for the Spring 1999). The March on Washington presentations were made by representatives from several of the leading organizations which have called for this National action: Elizabeth Birch, Executive Director Human Rights Campaign; Martin Ornelas Quintero, Executive Director, National Latino Lesbian & Gay Organization; Reverend Darlene Garner, United Federation of Metropolitan Community Churches; veteranproducer and activist Robin Tyler; and Nicole Ramirez Murray. The proposal for nationally coordinated state actions in all states (and Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands) was presented by: Dianne Hardy Garcia, Co-Chair of the Federation of LGBT Statewide Political Organizations, who is the Executive Director of the Lesbian and Gay Rights Lobby (TX); and Paula Ettelbrick, Co-Chair of the Federation of LGBT Statewide Political Organizations, who is Legislative Counsel for the Empire State Pride Agenda (NY). In a fruitful discussion following the presentations, Roundtable members offered input on timing, funding, planning and synergies between the two initiatives. Participants concur that a highlight of the Roundtable was a briefing on options, opportunities and concrete strategies to advance awareness of our communityıs issues within Federal agencies and the executive branch. A panel of insiders, advocates, lobbyists and political veterans offered insights they had gained from different vantage points. The presenters included: Matt Coles, Executive Director of the Lesbian & Gay Rights Project of the ACLU; Paul Richard, an assistant to one of the commissioners at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Tim Westmoreland, of the Federal Legislation Clinic at Georgetown Law Center. "This forum presents leaders of the GLBT national organizations with the rare opportunity to brief each other on substantive matters of public policy and to discuss strategy," said Urvashi Vaid, Director of the NGLTF Policy Institute. "Each participant brings a valuable perspective, impressive skills, and unique organizational experience to each discussion. Through our briefings and debates, we hope that participants return home rich with concrete information, tools and broader perspectives that enhance the work they do every day." A list of community-based organizations in attendance: AIDS Action Council |
İ 1998 BEI;
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