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Training Programs Planned |
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Compiled By GayToday
Washington, D.C.-- The Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation has announced
that it will step up its efforts to recruit and train exemplary openly gay
and lesbian Americans to become more active in public life by sponsoring a
new series of major non-partisan leadership training programs to be held in
every region of the country over the next year.
Seasoned organizer Tony Esoldo has been selected to head up the Victory Foundation's Training Institute as its new national training and program director to spearhead the effort. "Educating gay and lesbian community leaders about how to enter into and excel in public life is what we are all about – so these regional trainings are absolutely crucial to our work," said Brian K. Bond, executive director of the Victory Foundation. "We are thrilled that Tony Esoldo has decided to bring his considerable talents to the Victory Foundation. He has a strong record of organizing and empowering people who want to make a difference, and his energy and vision will be vital as we step up our leadership training efforts."
"The Victory Foundation has already trained much of the current generation of openly gay and lesbian office holders," noted Esoldo. "Our goal now is to seek out and educate the next generation while helping current openly gay and lesbian public servants rise through the ranks. "Our community is filled with great potential civic leaders, but too many feel they can't succeed just because they are gay or lesbian. Now, in light of our many recent victories and the results of the Foundation's polling research earlier this year, we know that voters are overwhelmingly willing to consider gay and lesbian candidates for office based on the issues. "We just need to help gay and lesbian Americans build the skills and confidence they need to run and win." The national polling research Esoldo cited was commissioned by the Victory Foundation and conducted by The Feldman Group, Inc. The findings, released in May, showed that an impressive 77 percent of American voters would consider supporting a gay or lesbian candidate for state legislature or Congress based on the candidate's issue positions. This support cut across an encouragingly broad range of the American electorate – including 65 percent of Republicans, 81 percent of independents, 85 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of fundamentalist Christians, 81 percent of mainline Protestants and 87 percent of Catholics. The national poll of 1,000 voters likely to participate in the 2000 elections was conducted March 29 to April 2, 1999, and had an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. "We are doing this work so that one day, young gay and lesbian Americans will realistically be able to dream of growing up to be president just like anybody else," said Esoldo. "It's about building up self esteem and ending discrimination. "One day, gay and lesbian people will be able to go as far in life as their dreams and hard work will take them. But to get there, we must teach today's civic leaders the skills they need to win tomorrow's victories. Currently, only about 180 of the nation's 500,000 elected officials are openly gay or lesbian. We can and we must become more fully represented." Esoldo comes to the Victory Foundation with a wealth of organizing experience. He has served as a field organizer for the Human Rights Campaign, where he also spearheaded educational trainings. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science at Miami University of Ohio. "For too long, anti-gay groups have been packing the halls of government with politicians who militantly promote discrimination, from school boards and city councils to state legislatures and Congress," remarked Bond, the Foundation's executive director. "At all levels of government, we must ensure that the voices of fear and intolerance are not the only ones heard when public policy decisions are made that affect our lives. The Victory Foundation's stepped up training efforts will go a long way toward creating a brighter future for gay and lesbian Americans through greater inclusion in the nation's public life." People who wish to apply or to participate in one of the Victory Foundation's leadership trainings can call Tony Esoldo at (202) 628-9151; e-mail him at victoryf@aol.com; write to him at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation at 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 |
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