NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous delivered the opening keynote speech at the National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change last night. Read more…
Largest-ever Creating Change off to a rousing start!
We started the day by making history with the first-ever Creating Change Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., today! Five buses full of hundreds of LGBT rights advocates left from the Baltimore Hilton and made their way to Capitol Hill. Activists took to the halls of Congress to lobby their senators and representatives. We delivered a clear message: It’s time to pass legislation that will provide workplace protections for LGBT people, equal pay for equal work, bully-free safe schools and anti-violence programs that are LGBT-inclusive.
Citizen lobbyists hard at work.
For many activists it was not only their first time lobbying, but also their first time in our nation’s capital. The day was energizing and the presence of hundreds of LGBT people and allies meeting with their elected officials on Capitol Hill demonstrated our movement’s political power. In addition to their lobby meetings, participants heard from Hill staffers and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) about the importance of sharing their stories to change hearts and minds to ultimately pass legislation that will benefit LGBT people.
Let's hear it for our citizen lobbyists creating change on Capitol Hill!
In addition to Lobby Day, there were more than 12 day-long institutes on a variety of topics ranging from “Building a Queer AAPI Movement” to “LGBTQ Youth Organizing.” And Twitter was full of great tips that came out of the New Media Training Institute through the #cc12 hashtag!
The evening events kicked-off with a reception opened by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who welcomed conference attendees to Baltimore.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake with Dana Beyer, director of Gender Rights Maryland.
After the mayor spoke, Maryland’s First Lady Katie O’Malley addressed the crowd. She highlighted her support for LGBT rights, mentioning the need to win the freedom to marry in the state, combating violence and discrimination against transgender people, and the need to create safe spaces for LGBT youth.
Maryland First Lady Katie O'Malley with Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey.
The last event of the day was the opening plenary, which began with a prayer led by the First Nations Collective.
The First Nations Collective
Task Force Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs Russell Roybal and Creating Change Director Sue Hyde then gave the official welcome to the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. Hyde welcomed the crowd of nearly 3,000 LGBT allies “to the most fabulous, fierce, fresh and fun confab of transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay and straight allies ever.” Meanwhile, Roybal reminded the participants that “we convene again to continue our march toward freedom, justice and equality for all people.”
Hyde and Roybal introduced the mistress of ceremonies, “Lady Ha Ha” Kate Clinton, who joked about the latest occurrences in the LGBT community. Clinton then welcomed the host committee co-chairs Sharon Brackett, the Rev. Mother Meredith Moises, the Rev. Sam Offer and Matthew Thorn, who talked about the work leading up to the conference.
The opening plenary keynote speech was delivered by Benjamin Jealous, president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. As an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights and under his leadership, the NAACP launched its LGBT Equality Task Force in 2009, a partnership with the National Black Justice Coalition. Most recently, the Baltimore NAACP chapter joined the steering committee of Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the broad and diverse coalition working to bring civil marriage equality to Maryland.
Jealous gave a rousing speech in which he talked about how the “LGBT struggle is a cause dear to my heart,” and how me must fight to end racial, economic, sexual and gender discrimination because “oppression is oppression is oppression.” He also talked about the importance of continuing to fight united until all people “can live in a country free of discrimination, hatred or violence.” Jealous delivered one of the most applauded lines of his speech when he said that any “child who is being bullied in school doesn’t have access to a fair education.”
Watch a clip of Jealous’s speech:
Closing the plenary, Hyde handed the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement to “our good friend Joan E. Biren, known around the world by her photographic byline, JEB.” Biren is a prolific photographer whose photographs became the book, Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, the first collection of photographs of lesbians by a lesbian ever published. She also expanded her documentary palette by making films and founding Moonforce Media. Highlighting the scope of her work, Hyde poignantly said, “for four decades, Joan E. Biren has given us the most simple and profound gift: permanent and cherished images of ourselves.”
Joan E. Biren accepting the Susan J. Hyde Award.
Following the plenary, participants received a special treat — a Creating Change cake by Charm City Cakes.
The Creating Change cake from Charm City Cakes!
Move to get marriage equality over the line in Maine
Task Force's Sarah Reece celebrating in front of the more than 105,000 signatures gathered to put a marriage equality initiative on the ballot in Maine
The Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition today announced it was moving forward with placing a marriage equality amendment on the November 2012 ballot. At a press conference in the statehouse in Augusta, the coalition said it had gathered more than 105,000 signatures, nearly twice the necessary number required to place the “Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom” on the general election ballot in November. If the measure qualifies, it will mark the first time a marriage equality initiative has been voted on at the ballot box.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has deep roots in Maine that stretch back more than a decade with side-by-side work to train leaders and provide staff and financial support for the ultimately successful effort to pass and defend the state’s non-discrimination law and the work to build public opinion to a majority of support for marriage equality for same-sex couples.
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said:
Maine is poised to make history, and we are proud to be part of this journey — a long journey filled with nitty-gritty hard work, poignant and personal conversations about our lives and why marriage is so meaningful, occasional setbacks, and a jaw-dropping supply of energy, tenacity and inspiration. Changing hearts and minds may sound like a saggy cliche, but in reality that’s what is happening. A transformation is unfolding thanks to years of effort, all building toward this moment. We are on the brink of marriage equality in Maine. We now have this all-important push toward November 2012. This means more doors to knock on, more conversations to have, and yes, more opportunities to change hearts and minds. We look forward to continuing to support our state partner EqualityMaine and the entire marriage coalition to get this done. Loving, committed Maine same-sex couples and their families deserve nothing less.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund have invested significantly in the work of EqualityMaine to build greater political power for the LGBT community:
In 2009, the Task Force Foundation:
- Gave $82,000 to launch and grow EqualityMaine’s first-ever voter identification project. The grant enabled EqualityMaine to hire its first statewide organizer to recruit and train hundreds of volunteers to talk with voters face to face about marriage equality and identify voters supportive of the issue. As a result, EqualityMaine has built a list of more than 50,000 identified supporters of the freedom to marry, one of the largest such state lists in the country.
- Organized the Maine LGBT Power Summit in late April, which brought together 140 leaders from across the country, including more than 70 Mainers, for training in campaign fundamentals. At the summit, participants walked door to door and spoke with more than 1,100 voters about marriage equality.
- Trained more than 30 additional Maine leaders at Task Force Power Summits in 2004-2005 to support EqualityMaine’s voter identification project.
In 2009, the Task Force Action Fund:
- Sent organizers to work on the ground in Maine in February 2009 to launch EqualityMaine’s marriage equality field program. Following the April Power Summit, several Task Force organizers remained in Maine to provide additional field support in the final days leading up to the Senate vote.
- Provided $20,000 to EqualityMaine in seed money in January 2009 to hire nine field organizers.
- Dedicated a Task Force organizer to work full time for one month in the No on 1 campaign in 2005, which successfully defeated a referendum that would have repealed its statewide nondiscrimination law.
- Contributed $93,000 to the No on 1 campaign.
In 2005, the Task Force Foundation:
- Gave $75,000 in grants to Equality Maine to identify pro-LGBT voters.
- Gave $94,500 in cash contributions to Maine Won’t Discriminate to fight the repeal effort.
- Sent seasoned staff to work on the campaign, some of whom took key roles in volunteer recruitment and the GOTV campaign.
- Led intensive training of more than two dozen Maine activists.
- Operated 19 phone-bank sessions from New York and Washington, D.C., involving 198 volunteers and live contacts with 3,656 pro-LGBT voters in Maine.
Creating Change conference kicks off in Baltimore, Md.
The 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality kicked off in Baltimore, MD. today. Highlights of the conference include ‘State of the LGBT Movement’ address, speeches by NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, a Capitol Hill Lobby Day, a faith convening, and much more!
NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous.
More than 2,500 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates from across the country will converge in Baltimore, Md., on Jan. 25-29 for the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. It is the largest convening of LGBT activists and allies in the country.
Benjamin Jealous, president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, will deliver the opening plenary keynote speech on Thursday, Jan. 26. Jealous is an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights.
A major conference draw is the annual “State of the Movement” address, which will be given by National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey on Friday, Jan. 27. She will present a vision for the year ahead in the struggle for LGBT equality, and for social and economic justice.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will address Creating Change on Saturday, Jan. 28, where he will discuss federal efforts to advance the rights and well-being of LGBT people and their families at HUD and beyond.
Also on Saturday, there will be a plenary panel focusing on international LGBT issues, a topic that is making national and global headlines of late following a Presidential Memorandum from President Obama and a historic speech from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the importance of international LGBT human rights. Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, will moderate a discussion featuring LGBT organizers from around the world.
Other conference highlights
The conference kicks off with hundreds of LGBT rights supporters converging on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan. 26, for Creating Change’s inaugural Lobby Day. They will advocate for passage of critical legislation in the areas of employment nondiscrimination, pay equity, anti-bullying and safe schools. A coalition of LGBT groups, as well as the ACLU, SEIU and the American Association of University Women, will join to support and sponsor the Creating Change Lobby Day.
Faith leaders and laypeople from numerous denominations and spiritual practices will convene for Practice Spirit, Do Justice, held in conjunction with the conference. Religious-based arguments are often used to undermine LGBT equality. Participants will strategize on how to bring more faith allies into the LGBT movement and how best to counter religious-based bigotry.
Actor and singer Wilson Cruz will close out the conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, with Love, Child…, a musical performance. Cruz has earned both critical acclaim and a loyal fan base throughout his career in television, film and stage productions. He won the hearts of audiences with his portrayal of Rickie Vasquez, the first openly gay teen on primetime television, in the ABC series My So-Called Life. Onstage, he took over the role of “Angel” both on Broadway and in the West Coast premiere of Rent.
The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change also features hundreds of skills-building workshops, more than 15 additional daylong institutes, networking sessions and much more.
There will be sessions on topics such as immigration equality, lessons learned for organizing, racial justice, social media training, online campaigning, and an interactive art space! You can tweet about your experience at the conference, or follow the conversation on twitter by using the #cc12 hashtag.
Judges are an LGBTQ issue
By April Carson, Deputy Director, Legal Progress
Every day, judges in courtrooms across the country decide cases that affect our lives. Courts decide issues such as whether under the law, our partners are entitled to health insurance, we can adopt, marry, be fired from our jobs or refused employment because of our gender identity and when, if ever, the law allows us to be treated differently than other Americans.
Federal judges who are deciding the trajectory of these important issues are becoming increasingly more conservative – hand selected by the religious right and extremists focused on reshaping the law. For years, conservatives have put a strong emphasis on who dons the robes in the federal court, understanding that a lifetime appointment can have just as important an impact as expensive legislation that takes years to pass.
Take for example the Affordable Care Act, advocates from across the progressive movement invested years and millions of dollars to get legislation to the President’s desk. Since the legislation has passed, 6 federal district court judges have ruled on its constitutionality and whether or not portions of it can even take effect. 3 of those judges ruled the legislation was unconstitutional and could not be implemented– I will let you guess who selected those jurists for the bench. No matter what the issue: adoption, marriage, equal pay or equality – the courts will continue to play a role in shaping the course of our lives. It is time for the LBGT community to have a say when it comes to who gets a lifetime appointment.
Going to Creating Change? Come hear what you can do to influence the make-up of the federal courts at our panel. Please join us for information on current judicial vacancies that can be filled with LBGTQ friendly judges and how you and your organization can get involved today to help influence the process. Our session will provide you with an overview of how federal judges are selected, where and how you can influence the process and why courts matter for the issues you care about. We will share recent nationwide polling done on the issue as well as talking points to make you a more effective advocate. No matter the issue, the courts will continue to make decisions that affect our lives – it’s time for you to weigh in and Stack the Deck in favor of Creating Change! Join us for “Stacking the Deck: Why Conservatives are starting to win in the courts, and what we can do about it” on Friday, Jan. at 10:45 a.m. in Blake, Level 2.
Push is on for marriage in Maryland
Marylanders for Marriage Equality and Maryland Faith for Equality at Gov. O'Malley's press conference.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who will address the Task Force’s National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change on Sunday, Jan. 29, this week introduced a marriage equality bill, the Civil Marriage Protection Act of 2012.
On Tuesday morning, before introducing the bill to the General Assembly, the governor hosted a breakfast for same-sex couples, and supportive clergy and faith leaders from different faith traditions and denominations. At a news conference following the breakfast, couples, clergy, the president of the Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition (of which the Task Force is a member) and the governor all voiced their support for marriage equality and for religious freedom and liberty.
The governor’s support signals that now is the time for Maryland to move forward with full marriage equality to protect all families and children. Proposing that all loving and committed couples could legally marry in Maryland is not new. The Task Force was part of a coalition of national and statewide organizations in 2011 to attempt to pass marriage through the legislature. Our grassroots, on the ground help, contributed to the thousands of voter-signed postcards that went to the delegates and senators. Our work with clergy started then and continues with the faith leaders we’ve supported, identified and mobilized. Today was a historic day in Maryland as pro-LGBT clergy and congregations stood with the governor garbed in stoles and vestments of all colors of the rainbow.
Our focus in Maryland, since the 2011 legislative session has been to build and strengthen relationships with and training people of faith in Maryland to use their voices and the conviction of their faith to express their support for transgender rights and marriage equality in Maryland. We thank Governor O’Malley for his strong support of marriage equality for all Marylanders. His voice will be instrumental in passing this legislation this year.
People of faith want to live in a state where everyone can live their lives, as the governor said so beautifully, with dignity and respect. That means that all loving and committed couples should be able to marry, and no one should ever experience discrimination because of who they are. We sincerely hope that the governor will give the full strength of his support to the comprehensive gender-identity nondiscrimination bill. The time to pass both these bills is now. If you live in Maryland, please respond to the call for help below from our coalition partners who are working hard to work for passage of both bills:
The Maryland Senate is holding a hearing in Annapolis next Tuesday, Jan. 31, on the Civil Marriage Protection Act of 2012 and we need you to come to Annapolis. We must show strong support for marriage during this crucial time. The opposition will make it a priority to be there and to scare legislators into voting against loving and committed families. This is one of the most important times to come to Annapolis and show your support for marriage equality. Bring your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. Join Marylanders for Marriage Equality all day or for one of 2 shifts, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 1-6 p.m. RSVP here and please indicate the shifts you plan to attend. Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/zocNpN. You can also e-mail Karess@mdfme.org or David@mdfme.org with any questions.
We also need you to come back to Annapolis for Equality Maryland’s lobby day on the evening of Feb. 13, beginning at 4:30 p.m. This will be a critical time for hundreds of people to show strong support for a comprehensive bill that protects transgender Marylanders from discrimination as well as to continue to support the marriage equality bill. RSVP now to Equality Maryland’s Feb. 13 lobby day here: http://equalitymaryland.org/events/lobby-day
Task Force responds to President Obama’s State of the Union address
The Task Force responded to President Obama’s State of the Union speech tonight by reiterating its call for federal employment protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and an end to the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage Act.”
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said:
President Obama spoke pointedly tonight of the need to get our country’s economy moving again, of getting people back to work, and of tackling the huge economic disparity that is hurting and hampering families everywhere. We couldn’t agree more and urge his administration and Congress to work together to ensure that everybody — including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people — have an opportunity to offer their unfettered best to America.
This is a challenge right now, in a nation where the rich are getting richer and everyone else is struggling to tread water. Many families are hurting, and LGBT families are just as vulnerable to economic hardship. The fact is, the state of the union for LGBT people remains largely one of inequality. In many parts of the country, we can still be fired from or denied employment for simply being who we are, and marriage inequality relegates our families to second-class status.
If the president is truly serious about job creation and boosting America’s economic well-being, he must provide leadership to pass federal employment protections for LGBT people and end the costly and unjust federal marriage ban. He must also retain the safety net of services that so many people and families depend upon for their survival.
Fairness is not a privilege of power and wealth, but a right of humanity. America rises to its best when its people are allowed to rise to theirs. We urge the president to lead the way.
The Task Force is currently calling on the president and Congress to:
- Sign an executive order that bars federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating against LGBT applicants and workers.
- Pass employment protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, particularly in light of the nation’s current unemployment crisis.
- Repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
- Pass an LGBT-inclusive Violence Against Women Act reauthorization bill.
- Pass federal anti-bullying legislation such as the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
- Pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation, including measures like the Uniting American Families Act and the DREAM Act.
- Pass pay equity legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act and pass paid sick-leave legislation that supports working people.
- Extend federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits without adding any new barriers for unemployed workers.
- Ensure that LGBT people are included in all federal data collection.
Front row seat at the White House
Wish you could ask the president’s closest advisors questions that weren’t answered in the State of the Union? Well, now you can.
Tonight, after President Obama’s speech, the Task Force’s interactive media coordinator Kathy Plate will be at the White House talking with those senior advisors and sending out their answers via Twitter.
We know he’ll talk a lot about the economy and jobs. But what about making sure that sexual orientation and gender identity aren’t reasons to put or keep LGBT people out of a job?
Task Force Interactive Media Coordinator Kathy Plate.
Send us your questions via Twitter using the @TheTaskForce handle and the #WHChat hashtag and we’ll try to ask the White House senior advisors your questions in-person. We have some of our own that we’ll be tweeting, so be sure to monitor Twitter tonight so you can retweet and promote them to your followers.
White House senior advisors will be answering questions from the in-person audience of “tweetup” participants, including Kathy, as well as those submitted via Twitter. And Kathy will do what it takes to get your questions answered, even if she has to wave her arms in the air.
This is a great opportunity to bring our voices to the table, and to remind the Obama team that we’ll continue to push for full equality and justice for LGBT people and their families even during an election year.
Please join us for this exciting White House event and send us the questions you want answers to after listening to the State of the Union address tonight. Don’t forget; include both @TheTaskForce and #WHChat in your tweets so we’ll be sure to see them tonight.
Task Force to participate in live White House event following the State of the Union
Do you want to ask the White House a question? Tell us what you’d like to know, and we’ll be asking the White House questions following the State of the Union speech.
Immediately following President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, we will be participating in a panel that will be streamed live from the White House. Our interactive media coordinator, Kathy Plate, will be in the audience of tweetup participants and may have the opportunity to ask the panel a question on behalf of the Task Force.
We will ask questions through our Twitter account, @TheTaskForce, that you can retweet and promote. If you have a question you’d like us to ask in-person or via Twitter please leave a comment on this blog post, our Facebook page, or mention us on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat.
The panel of senior advisors — Mark Zuckerman, White House deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council; Roberto Rodriguez, special assistant to the president for education policy; Brian Deese, deputy director, National Economic Council; Ben Rhodes, deputy NSA for strategic communications and speechwriting; and Jen Palmieri, deputy White House communications director – will answer questions about the State of the Union submitted via Twitter (#WHChat & #SOTU), Google+, Facebook and the in-person audience of tweetup participants.
Watch the video below for a thorough explanation of the event from senior advisor to President Barack Obama, David Plouffe:
Watch the enhanced State of the Union broadcast and the following panel live on the White House website.
Because equality never goes out of style…
Creating Change hoodie!
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force knows it’s tough work to build grassroots power in local communities, engage in inclusive policy research, and stay fashionable all at the same time. So at this year’s 24th Annual Conference for LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Baltimore, Md., we’re debuting some fierce and fabulous items for purchase to help answer that lingering question, “What, oh what, does one wear to Build Power, Take Action and Create Change?”
While at the conference, starting Wednesday, Jan. 25, participants can stop by the Membership and Merchandise Table in the main exhibit area to pick up their very own official Task Force T-shirts, hats, snow kits, and (exclusive to the conference this year) the official 2012 Creating Change hoodie!
Look stylish while supporting LGBT equality!
Supplies are limited and proceeds benefit the work of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force – so make sure to stop by, say hello and find the perfect outfit before they’re gone!
PS – Current members of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force receive a special discount!
PPS – Not a member? That’s OK – we can sign you up on site!
