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LGBTQ Community Mourns RBG Passing

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion & consistent voice for fairness for women, for LGBTQ Americans, for people living with HIV & for correcting racial injustices. Rea Carey Executive Director National LGBTQ Task Force stated, "Today we have lost a giant of justice, a champion for equality & progress. Justice Ginsburg was an American hero & pioneer, a voice for so many marginalized people, leaving behind a legacy of courage, tenacity & historic impact in creating a better country & a better world for all of us. We are all so grateful for all Justice Ginsburg has done for LGBTQ people, for women, for our ability to control our own bodies, for all that seek to move freedom forward in this country." Imani Rupert-Gordon, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights added, “Justice Ginsburg was a warrior for freedom & justice & we were honored to fight alongside her. That struggle is more important than ever. We will celebrate her life & grieve her loss. But above all, we will honor her legacy by continuing her fight.” Kevin Jennings Lambda Legal CEO concluded, “Throughout her entire legal career, including her 27 years on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg fought for the rights of those on the margins. From her time as a lawyer with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project to her years on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg spoke with a clear & strong voice against inequality & gender discrimination. A long-standing ally of the LGBTQ community, her unwavering support, both on & off the bench, was a testament to her commitment to equality for all people.” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Rest In Peace we will continue your work.
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Campus Pride Board Chair Tom Elliott

Campus Pride the national nonprofit dedicated to building future leaders & creating safe college communities for LGBTQ people has elected Tom Elliott as their new Board of Directors Chair. Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride stated, “I am overjoyed that the Board of Directors elected Tom Elliott as the Chair. Since he joined the Board more than a year ago & became the Board Secretary shortly after, Tom has been a tremendous resource for me & the organization & I am eager to see how Campus Pride grows under his leadership.” Tom Elliott stated, “This is a pivotal moment for Campus Pride & yet in the middle of a global pandemic that altered the course of history & injected uncertainty in our lives, our mission remained the same. At Campus Pride, we aim to build future leaders & create safer communities for LGBTQ young people. We didn’t stray from that. Next year is the 20th Anniversary of Campus Pride’s founding, which presents a significant opportunity for us to implement a new strategic vision for the organization. It is an opportunity for us to re-align with the mission of the organization, as we see fit. It is an opportunity for us to develop new programming, or retool existing programming, that meets the needs of LGBTQ young people where they are today & in the future.” Elliott was a graduate of Campus Pride’s leadership camp in 2007 while he was a student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Elliott is a founding partner of Acacia Consulting Group a strategic communications, public relations, and marketing agency based in Chicago, Illinois. For More Info: campuspride.org
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Harbor To The Bay Cyber Friday Event

Harbor to the Bay’s 18th annual Cyber Friday is September 18th with their goal to raise $18,000 & for every $1 donated an additional $1 up to $18,000 will be donated to the H2B General Fund by Tim Stein in honor of Wayne Fette. Jim Morgrage, Harbor to the Bay President stated, “Tim has been a very generous sponsor of many of our participants & teams over the past 17 years & came on board as sponsor of the event last year. Tim in memory of his loving husband Wayne Fette set up a scholarship program for first time riders as a way of helping to grow our event, BTW it is NOT too late to apply for this year. Tim called me a couple weeks back saying, ‘I know things are very hard for Harbor to the Bay this year & I want to do more!’ So we worked together & Tim has made a challenge to all of our participants that if we can raise $18,000 on our 18th Cyber Friday on September 18th he will match that allowing us to raise $36,000 in a 24 hour period.” So far his year’s Harbor to the Bay virtual ride that has raised over $97,000. Rather than riding 125 or 68 miles together participants are encouraged to engage in whatever activity is safely accessible to them. This might mean several short bike rides doing 125 jumping jacks or dancing for 68 minutes so everyone is encouraged to get involved in a way that challenges themselves & promotes health. The H2B General Fund are divided 100% between their 4 beneficiaries; AIDS Action, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Community Research Initiative & Fenway Health as they continue providing critical care during the ongoing pandemic. For More Info: harbortothebay.org


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Lambda Literary Virtual LGBTQ Festival

The 4th annual Lambda Litfest will go virtual this year & run from October 5th to 9th celebrating & defending Black LGBTQ Lives. Each night of the festival is centered around timely topics vital to Queer Black art-making including, including Politics & Activism, Black Aesthetics & Writing in Hollywood. The opening night will set the stage by bringing panelists Jordyn Jay founder of Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Collective, novelist George M. Johnson & others together for a discussion on Black Joy. The week will cap off with a discussion of Sex & the Body featuring Brontez Purnell, KOKUMO, Randa Jarrar & others. Additional featured speakers include Juliana Huxtable, Darnell Moore, Ianne Fields Stewart, t’ai freedom ford & many more. All events are free & offer audiences the opportunity to listen & engage in discussion via Zoom with some of the most crucial voices working today. Lambda LitFest is a program of Lambda Literary the nation's leading LGBTQ literary organization whose mission is to nurture & advocate for LGBTQ writers elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve their legacies & affirm the value of their stories & lives. Lambda Litfest resists the oppressive nature of a white supremacist, ableist, cisgender & heteronormative world by creating a space that uplifts & celebrates Black, Indigenous & POC folks in the LGBTQ community. This virtual event is supported in part by an Arts Grant from the City of West Hollywood as well as support from the California Arts Council & the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
For More Info: lambdaliterary.org
LISTEN: Rea Carey Talks LGBTQ Task Force Virtual Agenda
 
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Pentagon HIV Policy Goes To Court

Lambda Legal & the Modern Military Association of America (MMAA) have asked a federal district court to bar the Trump Administration & the Pentagon from discriminating against people living with HIV by denying them the opportunity to enlist, deploy or commission as an officer. In a hearing on two related lawsuits before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on September 14th lawyers argued the Pentagon’s categorical bar to the enlistment, deployment or commissioning of people living with HIV is unconstitutional & asked the court to order the Department of Defense to allow servicemembers living with HIV to deploy & to serve as officers. Scott Schoettes, Counsel & HIV Project Director, Lambda Legal stated, “Today, we asked the court to recognize what the government refuses to acknowledge, that people living with HIV are as capable, safe & healthy to serve in the military as any other person. It is discriminatory & unconstitutional to deprive these servicemembers from serving their country because of outdated science & continuing prejudice. It’s unacceptable that even in the face of tremendous medical advances, the Trump Administration is erecting new barriers to the military service of people living with HIV. These discriminatory actions deny important career opportunities & perpetuate stigma.” In the two lawsuits Roe & Voe v. Esper & Harrison v. Esper Lambda Legal & MMAA joined by pro-bono co-counsel Winston & Strawn LLP represent two Airmen facing discharge & a member of the D.C. Army National Guard being denied a commission just because they are living with HIV.
For More Info: lambdalegal.org 
LISTEN: Rea Carey Talks LGBTQ Task Force Virtual Agenda
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LGBTQ Task Force Goes Virtual (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force about their upcoming virtual events & how The Task Force is adjusting to the new normal in these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin with the 24th annual National LGBTQ Task Force Gala will stream virtually on Saturday October 3rd beginning at 8P EST in lieu of the customary gala held in Miami Beach, FL. This year’s theme is “The Power of US” which will focus on celebrating progress for LGBTQ people & their families. It will also emphasize the critical work of the National LGBTQ Task Force as they work to ensure that our LGBTQ community is counted through their “Queer the Census” campaign & the critical need to "Queer the Vote" in the upcoming election. The National LGBTQ Task Force Gala online event will be hosted by Latrice Royale of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame & the evening will include video messages from Pete Buttigieg, Alan Cumming, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, Sam Champion, Jai Rodriguez of the original “Queer Eye” cast & George Takei among others TBA. The National Task Force Gala virtual event will also be more accessible nationally & globally for supporters & members of the Task Force family with no fixed ticket price this year so any donation will get you in. So put on your tux or your sweatpants & join in the fun that helps support this fabulous organization. The next virtual events after the gala will be “Queering Racial Justice Institute” on October 10th, 2020 & the Creating Change Conference from January 27th to 31st, 2021. I talked to Rea about what she hopes to accomplish with The Task Force, their upcoming virtual events & her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN

 
For More Info & Tix: thetaskforce.org

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Equality California Equality Awards

Equality California is presenting the first ever virtual Golden State Equality Awards tonight Sunday September 13th at 6P PST. This fabulous event is going online to celebrate our community's achievements & honor the inspirational leaders whose selfless work helps create a world that is healthy, just & fully equal for all LGBTQ people. Robbie Martin, Equality California Director of Development stated, “From the most powerful woman in the country to TV & movie stars & from an All-WNBA player to an award-winning drag queen, each one of them has a special message just for us tonight!” This year's Golden State Equality Award recipients include Pete & Chasten Buttigieg receiving the Equality Trailblazer Award, the Equality Visibility Award goes to Disclosure the Netflix Original Documentary & the Ally Leadership Award will be presented to Norman Lear. There will be a Special Tribute to Rep. John Lewis with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Angelica Ross will host the event. Musical performances will be provided by Melissa Etheridge, Shea Diamond, Alex Newell, Robin S, Rufus Wainwright & Betty Who. Special guests include Laverne Cox, Gloria Estefan, Rita Moreno, Bob The Drag Queen, Sam Feder, Chelsea Gray, Keiynan Lonsdale, Tig Notaro, Conrad Ricamora, Amy Scholder & Zachary Quinto. This historic virtual event will start with regional pre-show programs celebrating LGBTQ & allied communities in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles & Palm Springs. Then everyone will come together from across California & beyond to highlight pro-equality champions & enjoy exclusive performances.
For More Info & Tix: eqca.org
Listen: Film "Surviving The Silence" Before Don’t Ask Don’t Tell 
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LGBTQ Community Mourns RBG Passing

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion & consistent voice for fairness for women, for LGBTQ Americans, for peopl...

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