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UNITED ENDA CAMPAIGN LAUNCH + PRIDE EVENTS!
by: United ENDA CA, OIA Newswire
Happy Pride 2008, everyone!!!
We've been quiet because we've been busy gearing up for Pride, and building a wonderful ENDA campaign team -- a team poised to generate statewide support for an Inclusive ENDA, as well as help contribute to the pressing marriage equality fight.
Here are the United ENDA California highlights for Pride weekend in the Bay Area (coming to other parts of the State later this summer!), followed by a description of the campaign launch:
Thursday: United ENDA CA launches new marriage + ENDA campaign & new website (in development until Thursday): www.UnitedENDAca.org!
Friday:
*12PM Lunch with TransMarch keynote speaker (and former HRC board member) Donna Rose! At the SF LGBT Center
*3PM TransMarch at Dolores Park (march @ 7PM). Volunteer with United ENDA CA! Email unitedENDAca@gmail.com
Saturday: 7PM Dyke March & Pink Saturday! Volunteer with United ENDA CA! Email unitedENDAca@gmail.com
Sunday:
Pride march and festival (& party at City Hall): Volunteer with United ENDA CA! Email unitedENDAca@gmail.com
*********
Protect marriage & prevent employment discrimination: Join United ENDA CA!
It
has been a landmark and historic season! Just last month, the CA
Supreme Court recognized that LGBT couples have a fundamental right to
marry and, as of June 16, couples have been getting married across the
state. However, this victory must be protected, lest we erase decades
of our community's hard work.
Yet another victory is within reach: With the support of a new
Congress in 2009 and a new Presidential administration on the horizon,
now is the time to advance an inclusive Employment Non- Discrimination
Act (ENDA).. Whereas today, it is legal to fire someone for being gay,
lesbian, or bisexual in 31 states, and no protections for gender
identity or gender expression exist in 39 states, ENDA will protect
LGBT Americans from being fired on the basis of their sexual
orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Marriage equality and employment protections both are vital to our
diverse, LGBT community. In service of the opportunity to change the
course of history, a coalition of organizations that includes the
Transgender Law Center, Pride at Work, And Castro for All, The National
Center for Lesbian Rights, The San Francisco LGBT Community Center, and
the Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative, today proudly launches
a new campaign: United ENDA CA.
United ENDA CA is launching a new, comprehensive, colorful and easy-to-navigate website: unitedendaca.org, with relevant information regarding the coalition, the campaign, up-to-date news, resources, and steps on how to take action.
We're also launching a grassroots public education effort, so we
hope you'll come volunteer with United ENDA CA at this year's Pride
celebration! We're looking for volunteers to help us pass out
information about marriage and inclusive ENDA at the Trans March
(Friday, June 27th from 3-7pm), the Dyke March (Saturday, June 28th
from 3-7pm) and on Pride Sunday (June 29th from 9am-5pm). Please email
your name, availability on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and phone
number to unitedENDAca@gmail.org.
Join the United ENDA CA campaign and help our community protect
marriage equality and prevent employment discrimination. Commit to
having conversations about marriage equality and workplace equality
with your family, friends, colleagues – and start changing hearts and
minds.
Thanks for everything. We hope to see you this weekend and in the future! [6/24/08]
UNITED ENDA CAMPAIGN LAUNCH + PRIDE EVENTS!
Happy Pride 2008, everyone!!!
We've been quiet because we've been busy gearing up for Pride, and building a wonderful ENDA campaign team -- a team poised to generate statewide support for an Inclusive ENDA, as well as help contribute to the pressing marriage equality fight. > Full Story. [6/24/08]
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE PASSES HARVEY MILK BILL
Senate Education Committee Passes Harvey Milk Bill
Bill Authored by Assemblymember Leno, and Sponsored by EQCA, Would Honor the LGBT Civil Rights Pioneer Each May 22
SACRAMENTO – Civil rights activist Harvey Milk would be commemorated with an official day honoring his leadership under a bill approved today by the Senate Education Committee.
On Wednesday, Senate committee members passed Assembly Bill 2567, which would establish May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in California, with a 6-3 vote. The legislation is authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, and sponsored by Equality California. If the measure is passed in the full Senate and signed by the governor, California would become the first state in the nation to designate a day commemorating a leader of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
"By passing this bill, the Senate Education Committee acknowledges the unprecedented legacy of Harvey Milk and the importance of teaching our future generations the important role he played in history," said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. "Through his staunch commitment to human rights, Milk, one of the nation's first openly gay leaders, inspired a community to stand strong in the face of aversion. Perhaps more than any other figure, Harvey Milk's life and political career embody the rise of the LGBT civil rights movement. His achievements and vision deserve this wide recognition."
AB 2567 will be heard next on the Senate floor.
Milk was one of the nation's first openly gay elected officials. He was assassinated in 1978, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, by a homophobic colleague with the Board of Supervisors. AB 2567 would proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day, in honor of his birth. The bill would encourage public schools and educational institutions to conduct activities teaching students about this important LGBT leader. As a non-fiscal state holiday, it would not impact the state budget because it does not increase the number of paid holidays for state employees or suspend public functions.
"Harvey would be proud to know that his legacy continues to teach us to believe in ourselves and our dreams," said Assemblymember Leno. "Given the alarming rates of suicide, depression, substance abuse, bullying and violence against LGBT youth in our schools, the bill aims to give LGBT and straight students alike a positive representative of who LGBT people are that inspires pride and self-esteem rather than fear and shame. That is what Harvey was all about," he said.
During the 1970s, Milk worked to pass an LGBT civil rights ordinance in San Francisco and helped defeat an initiative that would have banned gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools.
California law commemorates the contributions of important historical figures and groups including Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, American Indians and Japanese Americans.
Founded in 1998, Equality California celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2008, commemorating a decade of building a state of equality in California. EQCA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. www.eqca.org > Full Story. [6/19/08]
HRC CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN CASE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST A TRANSGENDER WOMAN
HRC CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN CASE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST A TRANSGENDER WOMAN > Full Story. [6/18/08]
SAME-SEX WEDDING EXPOS TOUR CALIFORNIA
The national gay & lesbian wedding resource,RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, has announced that the company will be producing four GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expos in California this summer, in celebration of the May 15th ruling by the state Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage. The Expos will also include the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit, an interactive forum to motivate and educate attendees about the potential threats to the new legislation, as well as innovative ways to enact real change all across America concerning marriage equality. The Expos will be held in July in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Long Beach. Each event is free for the public to attend. > Full Story. [6/18/08]
PENINSULA METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH HOSTS 'I DO! I DO! AGAIN AND AGAIN' ON JUNE 26
PENINSULA METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH HOSTS 'I DO! I DO! AGAIN AND AGAIN' ON JUNE 26 > Full Story. [6/16/08]
CIVIL RIGHTS ICONS CELEBRATE MARRIAGE EQUALITY!
MAYOR DELLUMS JOINS CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, CLERGY TO ECHO SUPPORT FOR THE FREEDOM TO MARRY
Elected Officials, Clergy & Human Rights Leaders to Offer Congratulations, Celebrate Upcoming Weddings > Full Story. [6/14/08]
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN SAN FRANCISCO DINNER TO BENEFIT MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN CALIFORNIA
Human Rights Campaign San Francisco Dinner to Benefit Marriage Equality in California
HRC recently pledged $500,000 to defeat constitutional amendment
www.hrc.org/California
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, today announced that guests attending the annual San Francisco dinner will have the option to give their contribution to the ongoing effort to protect marriage equality in California. At this time, anti-equality forces are working to enshrine discrimination into California’s constitution with a constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot. In late May, HRC pledged an initial contribution of $500,000 to Equality for All, the coalition working to protect marriage equality.
“The Court’s ruling was an amazing victory and the San Francisco dinner is another opportunity to continue to build financial support to protect marriage this November,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “With our initial $500,000 commitment and the proceeds from the dinner, HRC aims to ensure that California remains a state where every person has the opportunity to realize their hopes and dreams by being able to marry the person they love.”
When ordering tickets, all dinner guests will be given the option to designate up to 100 percent of the fee to the HRC California Marriage PAC. The PAC was established to fight against the anti-marriage ballot initiative. Proceeds from the dinner are part of the recent $500,000 pledge by HRC. In the past year, HRC also provided six full-time staff members and $100,000 to Equality for All, a large and diverse coalition of civil rights, faith, choice, labor and communities of color organizations working to stop and defeat any ballot measure that would deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry in California.
HRC is a member of Equality for All, the coalition working to defeat the marriage ban, and these funds will support the coalition's efforts. To purchase tickets to the San Francisco Dinner, please visit: http://sfbayarea.hrc.org/dinner or call Box Office Tickets at: 800-494-TIXS(8497). To donate to the HRC California Marriage PAC, visit: http://www.hrc.org/california.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
-30-If you would rather not receive future email messages from Human Rights Campaign, let us know by clicking here.Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 United States > Full Story. [6/6/08]
FIRST HEAT WAVE OF 2008 HITS EAST THIS WEEKEND
First Heat Wave of 2008 Hits East this Weekend
Heat Develops Across Nation
State College, Pa. -- June 4, 2008 -- AccuWeather.com reports the first heat wave of 2008 will begin on Friday across the Northeast. The air mass that will enter the region is the same one that produced record heat over the southern Plains during the past several days.
 A relatively seasonable air mass will be in place on Thursday, even cooler than normal over coastal areas of New England, but a warm front will open the floodgates and allow heat and humidity to pour over the region. It remains to be seen how many records will fall in the Northeast, but it looks like most areas will have heat through the weekend and into early next week.
A heat bubble is already gripping the southern Plains and Desert Southwest. These two regions will also have to endure winds gusting past 45 mph at times today. The high winds have prompted the issuance of wind advisories.
The strongest wind gusts will be reserved for the afternoon and evening hours across the Desert Southwest. Motorists should be prepared for blowing dust to dangerously lower visibility in a short period of time. Red flag warnings are in effect to warn residents of the elevated fire danger that also exists.
> Full Story. [6/4/08]
CALIFORNIA MARRIAGE DECISION TO BOOST STATE ECONOMY
A recent study from UCLA predicts that marriages among gay and lesbian couples could provide $370 million to the state economy in the next three years. The study estimates that about half of California's 92,000 couples will have wedding ceremonies. > Full Story. [6/4/08]
NEW RESEARCH REVEALS INSURANCE CONFUSION AMONG DOMESTIC PARTNERS
EDUCATION CAMPAIGN EXPANDS TO REACH DOMESTIC PARTNERS Survey Reveals Misperceptions, Misunderstandings about Insurance
SAN FRANCISCO (June 3, 2008) – The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) today expanded its award-winning Insure U consumer education program with information specifically for domestic partners.
A domestic partnership describes a same or opposite-sex couple in a committed relationship - similar to a marriage - but without an official marriage license. The 2000 U.S. Census estimates that there are more than 770,000 domestic partnerships in the United States. > Full Story. [6/3/08]
SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR REJECTS PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TO HIV/AIDS SERVICES
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently rejected proposed cuts to HIV/AIDS services in his fiscal year 2009 budget, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. According to the Chronicle, Newsom rejected a proposal by Mitch Katz, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, to cut $3 million of the $10 million the department allocates to 30 not-for-profit groups that provide HIV/AIDS services.
Katz made the recommendation in response to an order by Newsom earlier this month to reduce $11 million from the health department's budget to help alleviate an estimated $338 million city deficit. Katz recommended maintaining medical care and housing for people living with HIV/AIDS but reducing funds for food deliveries, legal services, support groups, acupuncture, massage and herbal therapy. The health department, which is projected to lose $54 million next year, already has made cuts and halted other programs. Although AIDS groups will "fare better than they'd feared," the city still plans to implement a 22% reduction in funds to all community programs, including AIDS groups that receive public health funds, the Chronicle reports. In addition, it is not clear how much federal funds the city will receive for HIV/AIDS programs next year.
Katz said he made the recommendations because the city does not have the "funds to provide these services to anyone else with chronic diseases -- people with cancer, people with neurological diseases." He added, "If the city is saying that complementary therapy is our priority, it would need to be the priority of all people who benefit." Newsom said, "I just couldn't in good conscience justify" the funding reductions. He added, "To the extent there are any cuts, they won't be at this magnitude -- not even close."
Some HIV/AIDS advocates praised Newsom for not implementing the reductions but said the city should be investing more money because there are more people living with HIV/AIDS in the city and the amount of federal funding to San Francisco is uncertain. According to state figures, there are 4,512 HIV-positive people and 8,973 people with AIDS living in San Francisco. In addition, 800 to 1,000 people are newly diagnosed annually, the Chronicle reports. Ayrick Broin -- communications director for Immune Enhancement Project, which receives city funding -- said, "Maybe [AIDS groups] have gotten some extra dollars, but we've also done more protesting." He added that HIV/AIDS groups have "been the most vocal in getting the public aware and realizing this isn't a problem that's going away."
Mark Cloutier, executive director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said, "In order for people [living with HIV/AIDS] to participate in primary care, they need these other services." He added, "For people to remain adherent to their treatment regimen, they have to have their mental health issues and substance abuse issues under control, and they need to be stably housed so their lives are not chaotic" (Knight, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/28).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report , search the archives, and sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/hiv. The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.”
> Full Story. [5/28/08]
THREE SACRAMENTO MEN ARRESTED FOR HATE CRIME
Just hours after the California Supreme Court ruling to overturn the state ban on marriage for gay and lesbian couples on Thursday, May 15, three men were arrested for beating a gay man. Sacramento police described the incident as a hate crime on the basis of sexual orientation. > Full Story. [5/22/08]
NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE HAILS HISTORIC CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT DECISION SUPPORTING THE FREEDOM TO MARRY
"This is an extraordinary victory for Californians and all Americans who hold fairness and opportunity as fundamental American values. Today, once again, California is leading the way in affirming the inherent dignity of all people. Today, in our hearts, we are all Californians."
- Rea Carey, Acting Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force > Full Story. [5/15/08]
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