Monday morning, come rain or shine – probably rain – LGBT people will join in the annual parade in Los Angeles celebrating the contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..
Milton Davis, LA Field Manager for Equality California, told LGBT POV that EQCA will march with a contingency with groups that include Here to Stay Coalition, Black Lesbians United, the Jordan Rustin Coalition, and the Courage Campaign.
Davis says:
“We will be wearing white tops in a gesture symbolizing peace and unity between the Black and LGBT communities. There were dozens of signs made yesterday indicating that is a pro-LGBT contingency. The signs provided will relate to the groups involved as well as general slogans related to peace, justice, etc.”
The group is meeting at the Lucy Florence Cafe – owned by openly gay twin brothers Ron and Richard Harris – (3351 W. 43rd St., LA, 90008) in Leimert Park at 9:00am where coffee will be served. Water and snacks will be provided as well. Shuttles will take people from Lucy Florence to the starting point of the march.
Observers of the federal challenge to Prop 8 in San Francisco were deeply disappointed with the US Supreme Court ruled that there would be no broadcasting of the trial proceedings outside the federal courthouse. Reporters and bloggers stepped up to provide live-blogging of the critical evidentiary hearing.
There has been so much interest in the trial, Patrick Range McDonald at the LA Weekly reports that freelance journalist and filmmaker John Ireland intends to produce a re-enactment of the trial based on transcripts and post the video on YouTube.
Late Sunday, the American Foundation for Equal Rights sent out a press release with a wrap up synopsis of the first week of trial testimony. Please click inside to read their summary.
NPR is reporting that the US Department of Justice is intervening in the case of a gay high school student who was beaten up for being effeminate.
(Listen to the four minutes All Things Considered story here.)
The case – and the DOJ – are focusing on the Title IX statute, which prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of gender. Most people think of Title IX as it relates to women and sports at universities.
In this case, 15-year-old Jacob, who lives in Mohawk in upstate New York, was harassed for being effeminate before he came out as gay at 14. The lawsuit alleges that his fellow students threw food at him and told him to get a sex change. But as I discuss in this essay, this case of gay bashing and bullying is not an isolated incident in this national climate of willful ignorance and bigotry in schools, the media and the US Supreme Court.
To those of us who dreaded going home for the holidays lest the intimacy of the family moment expose our dark gay secret – the California Courage Campaign is saying – HAVE those conversations, even if you don’t come out. Start the conversation about full equality. History, says Courage Campaign founder Rick Jacobs, is on your side.
Here’re two video Courage Campaign put together with help from actors Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Eric McCormack to encourage LGBTs and straights alike to start having conversations about full equality for LGBT citizens. Click inside to read Rick’s comments and get links to “how-to” help.
The effort to return to the California ballot to repeal Prop 8 in 2010 hit a major snag Monday. After conducting “the first phase of extensive and groundbreaking research about public beliefs and concerns about marriage and homosexuality,” the Courage Campaign and Lambda Legal both announced that they are waiting until more hearts and minds are changed before launching another campaign.
Though neither organization released the research data upon which they based their conclusion, I’ve spoken with David Fleischer, a longtime political analyst who heads up the LGBT Mentoring Project and has conducted his own research who reached the same conclusion. Please click inside to read my report.
Day Two of Camp Courage Sacramento kicked off with the infamous “Team Chants” module. After 20 minutes of preparation, each small group performed a short chant, usually centered around themes of equality and social chance. Whether a group’s chant came together or fell apart, the crowd roared with laughter and elation after each performance. A boisterous time was had by all.
Editor’s note: Rick Jacobs, founder of the Courage Campaign, gave a stirring – and very personal – speech at the end of a protest march in Los Angeles commemorating the one year anniversary of the passage of Prop 8. The march also happened to be the night after the loss of marriage equality in Maine. Click inside to read Rick’s inspirational remarks.
Camp Courage is an intensive two-day training designed to teach the principals and skills of community organizing to activists working to restore marriage equality to California. Inspired by the “Camp Obama” trainings the powered neighbor-to-neighbor organizing across America in 2008, Camp Courage teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills. This weekend, we’re in Sacramento.
Just got this in from Jasmine Leiva at the Courage Campaign. As someone who had an abortion in 1975 and who had friends bleed to death from botched abortions – this is no intellectual or religious debate for me and the majority of women. This is as real as human rights and healthcare can get. Please do what you can. Click inside for info and phone numbers. Thank you. – Karen O.
URGENT: Call now to save women’s rights
Right now, the House of Representatives is debating and about to vote on an amendment that could either roll back women’s rights — or destroy the health care bill. We can stop it now if you can make a call to two key California Representatives ASAP.
I first became aware of Julia Rosen during the No on Prop 8 campaign when she and a number of other (mostly male) bloggers created this wild and effective netroots/blogger push during the latter part of the campaign. She regularly blogged (and still does) for Calitics – one of California’s preeminent political blogs. In October 2008, Julia was working with Rick Jacobs and Eden James at the Courage Campaign and her no-frills work ethic, her internet savvy and her clear brain power earned her the kind of admiration that usually wins awards. Instead, Julia went to Maine. Here is her “lessons learned” report, cross-posted with permission from Calitics. Click inside to read her thoughts.
Julia Rosen from the Courage Campaign is in Maine and gave me details about where to watch for the returns, as well as updated information. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has a camera at the Portland party – with an interview with No on 1 campaign manager at 6:15, our time. Click inside for details – as well as links for watching results for Washington state.
Also – I also covered the LA Police Commission hearing today – they formally voted to sever ties to the Boy Scouts/Learning for Life Explorer Program. More inside.
If you looked up “quiet leader” in the dictionary, you’d find a photo of Christine Marge. In this profile, she speaks about how her social work roots led to her current work: ending homelessness and fighting for marriage equality.
The Netroots helped raise over #1.4 million for the No on 1 campaign in Maine – and the campaign gave a little shout out to some of our blog friends. Click inside for details.
A one-time skeptic of the 2009 National Equality March has a change of heart. Friday and Saturday at NEM were extremely productive. And we haven’t even marched yet!
Famed numbers cruncher Nate Silvers is out with a new analysis of the marriage equality struggle in Maine. Here’s the money quote:
“Time to play oddsmaker: I’d lay about 3 to 1 against the marriage ban passing. But it’s liable to fairly close — clearly a winnable campaign for conservatives and a losable one for liberals, [...]
Monday morning, come rain or shine – probably rain – LGBT people will join in the annual parade in Los Angeles celebrating the contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..
The group is meeting at the Lucy Florence Cafe – owned by openly gay twin brothers Ron and Richard Harris – (3351 W. 43rd St., LA, 90008) in Leimert Park at 9:00am where coffee will be served. Water and snacks will be provided as well. Shuttles will take people from Lucy Florence to the starting point of the march.
Observers of the federal challenge to Prop 8 in San Francisco 
NPR 
To those of us who dreaded going home for the holidays lest the intimacy of the family moment expose our dark gay secret – the California Courage Campaign is saying – HAVE those conversations, even if you don’t come out. Start the conversation about full equality. History, says Courage Campaign founder Rick Jacobs, is on your side.
With a photo of openly gay marriage bill sponsor Thomas Duane thanking a colleague for her vote, the 
The effort to return to the California ballot to repeal Prop 8 in 2010 hit a major snag Monday. After conducting “the first phase of extensive and groundbreaking research about public beliefs and concerns about marriage and homosexuality,” the 
Day Two of Camp Courage Sacramento kicked off with the infamous “Team Chants” module. After 20 minutes of preparation, each small group performed a short chant, usually centered around themes of equality and social chance. Whether a group’s chant came together or fell apart, the crowd roared with laughter and elation after each performance. A boisterous time was had by all.
Editor’s note: Rick Jacobs, founder of the 
Camp Courage is an intensive two-day training designed to teach the principals and skills of community organizing to activists working to restore marriage equality to California. Inspired by the “Camp Obama” trainings the powered neighbor-to-neighbor organizing across America in 2008, Camp Courage teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills. This weekend, we’re in Sacramento.
I first became aware of Julia Rosen during the No on Prop 8 campaign when she and a number of other (mostly male) bloggers created this wild and effective netroots/blogger push during the latter part of the campaign. She regularly blogged (and still does) for 
Julia Rosen from the Courage Campaign is in Maine and gave me details about where to watch for the returns, as well as updated information. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has a camera at the Portland party – with an interview with No on 1 campaign manager at 6:15, our time. Click inside for details – as well as links for watching results for Washington state. 
If you looked up “quiet leader” in the dictionary, you’d find a photo of Christine Marge. In this profile, she speaks about how her social work roots led to her current work: ending homelessness and fighting for marriage equality.
The Netroots helped raise over #1.4 million for the No on 1 campaign in Maine – and the campaign gave a little shout out to some of our blog friends. Click inside for details. 
A one-time skeptic of the 2009 National Equality March has a change of heart. Friday and Saturday at NEM were extremely productive. And we haven’t even marched yet!
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