Badpuppy Gay Today |
Tuesday, 22 July 1997 |
An significant chapter in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) equality was marked this past weekend by activists from statewide political groups from 32 states. At the meeting, activists officially launched the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Political Organizations. The Federation's purpose is to bolster the efforts of these statewide groups through a network that will foster strategizing across state lines, building stronger state organizations and developing good working relationships between state and national groups. The meeting was the result of an eight month collaboration between the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and the Federation. It was the largest gathering ever of statewide groups. States represented were AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV. The three day Federation meeting was held at the renowned Highlander Center outside Knoxville, Tennessee. For over fifty years, the Highlander Center has been a training center for labor, civil rights and other social justice movements. There, activists focused on adopting the organizational structure for the Federation and debating strategies on legislative issues. These issues included sodomy law repeal, passage of civil rights bills and family recognition strategies, as well as building strategies for effective multicultural and coalition organizing. The need for the Federation grew out of meetings of statewide activists during the past two years at NGLTF's annual Creating Change Conference. The Task Force coordinated the logistics of the Tennessee meeting, providing scholarships and staffing and assisting in the planning. "We have known for many years that the real battles facing our communities would be fought in the State Houses across the country," said Paula Ettelbrick of the Empire State Pride Agenda, who is a founder and a co-chair of the Federation. "It is essential that we create an organizing structure that helps us to strategize as a national network of lesbians and gay men in order to support each other, share resources, and fight our common enemy of homophobia." The Federation will consist of 13 Executive Committee members, selected from each region of the country, who will set forth the mission of the Federation. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will serve as coordinator of the Federation for the next three years. NGLTF will coordinate and support the Federation's work through the dedication of staff and resources including the creation and dissemination of information and materials, regular conference calls, cyber resources and more. "States are ground zero in the struggle for equality and justice, and it is essential that these state groups become better resourced and supported if we are to ensure our ultimate success as a movement," said NGLTF executive director Kerry Lobel. "I am thrilled that the state lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender groups have united to form this Federation. The Federation will focus on strengthening state organizations so that we are better equipped for the upcoming civil rights battles we are facing state by state," said Dianne Hardy-Garcia of the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas and co-chair of the Federation. "The formation of the Federation would not have been possible without the assistance of NGLTF. NGLTF has provided the resources needed to pull together the Federation. The Task Force continues to illustrate a real understanding that our movement must be a local, state and national movement if we are to succeed," added Hardy-Garcia." The Federation is planning its next meeting for November's NGLTF Creating Change conference in San Diego, California. In addition to the meeting, there will be a series or workshops geared towards activists doing statewide work, especially on legislation. These workshops will be open to all. ___________________________________________________________________________________ FEDERATION MISSION The purpose of the Federation is (1) to facilitate cooperation and communication among organizations whose primary mission is to seek state legislative change that benefits lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons; (2) to establish a clearinghouse for exchanging information and ideas among statewide gay political organizations; (3) to assist existing and new groups in addressing their organizational development needs; and (4) to provide a structure for better working relationships between statewide lesbian and gay political groups and national lesbian and gay organizations. ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
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