Indiana Equality

Exciting News From NGLTF & SAGE

From NGLTF and SAGE:

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) jointly released Outing Age 2010: Public Policy Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Elders, an update to the groundbreaking Outing Age report issued in 2000. Like its predecessor, Outing Age 2010 presents an in-depth look at public policy issues and challenges facing millions of aging LGBT people in the United States.

The report is available for upload at www.sageconnect.net

The updated report comes on the heels of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ recent announcement of plans to establish the first national LGBT elder resource center. LGBT aging issues have been a focus of the New Beginning Initiative, a Task Force-coordinated collaboration of more than 20 national LGBT organizations moving to promote change within federal agencies to improve the lives of LGBT people. LGBT aging issues have been identified as a priority issue for the Task Force and SAGE.

 

A Message from IE's State Chair

During the Holiday season, we often stop and reflect and give thanks for all that we have received in our lives.  We at Indiana Equality are thankful for our thousands of supporters across the state who give their time, money and resources in the struggle for equality in Indiana and across the nation.  Taking a stand for what you believe in is often times not the easiest to do.  It takes us out of our comfort zone.  It can be difficult.  It makes us venerable to those that disagree.  But, one of the greatest gifts we can give is to give of ourselves especially when it is needed.  And, Indiana Equality needs you.

Our community often finds itself on the defensive, pushing back attempts to write discrimination into our State Constitution.  Defeating laws that limit rights for folks based only on who they love.  But we need to be proactive. 

The best way to be proactive is to educate.  We need to inform people who we are and that we are productive members of the community that have families and that are neighbors and friends and who believe in equality for all Hoosiers.  While we at Indiana Equality are working to be proactive by providing education throughout the State, we could use your help.  Let people know who you are and what you believe in and why it is important.  If every reader of this column would just do this in their community, it would help raise awareness of the inequalities that exist for many Hoosiers today.

Many of us lead comfortable lives.  We haven’t, suffered overt discrimination.  We have a secure place to live, a job that offers protections against discrimination and, perhaps, domestic partner benefits, and family and friends that support us.  But, there are many in our State that don’t have those most basic of needs.  Some are harassed or being perceived that they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.  They have no protections or recourse.

So I am asking you, please consider making a gift of equality this Holiday season.  Give of yourself in helping to educate our fellow Hoosiers.  Let them know about you or your family and friends that are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.  Let them know how inequality exists and how it keeps Indiana from being a productive, prosperous State and how fear and bigotry keeps us from being our best.

Of course, please support the work of Indiana Equality by making a tax-deductable gift this Holiday season.  Your donation will be used to help education efforts in communities throughout the State.  You can even make a reoccurring gift to ensure that we can continue to be proactive in 2010.

Have a great Holiday!  And thanks for all you have done for Indiana Equality!

Jon Keep

We Need You!

Want to help, but you dont know how?

Support Equality: Go Shopping!

Indiana Equality, in partnership with GoodSearch.com, makes it easy for you to shop online AND support equality.

 

GoodShop.com has links to your favorite stores, from Amazon to Williams-Sonoma. By shopping through GoodShop.com, a percentage of virtually every purchase at more than 1,300 top stores will go to support Indiana Equality.

 

Plus! Thousands of money-saving coupons are posted on their site. You can also download the GoodSearch.com toolbar for a quick and convenient way to direct contributions to Indiana Equality. Shop. Search. Support Equality! Oh and make sure to select IE as the charity you wish to support. 

 

 

Donate in December

 

In a few short weeks, 2009 will come to a close. Before we welcome in the new year, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support Indiana Equality. 

 

Your tax-deductible donation helps Indiana Equality continue our progress towards an Indiana free from discrimination.

 

You may also sign-up to participate in our reoccurring gift program.  A monthly donation at the amount of your choosing will be charged to your credit card and provide Indiana Equality the needed funds to support our programs and services.

Take Action for Domestic Partnership Benefits for Federal Employees!

There’s a bill making its way through Congress that would touch many LGBT people's lives, but which no one seems to be talking about:  The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO), which has been progressing quietly -- and is coming up for a vote.

The DPBO would extend to same-sex couples working for the federal government the same benefits now enjoyed by different-sex married couples. The federal government is the country's largest civilian employer and this law would affect thousands of same sex couples.

The federal government lags behind business, states, and towns all over the country. Fifty-nine percent of Fortune 500 companies, 22 states, the District of Columbia, and 150 municipalities all provide domestic partnership benefits to employees.  Just last month, Washington State voters upheld domestic partnership benefits when conservative forces tried to strip them from Washington State couples. These benefits are good for communities and good for business.

Send your Congressional Representatives and Senators a letter today telling them that you support the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (S. 1102 and H.R. 2517). 

Take Action Now

Happy Thanksgiving

                                                  
 

From all of us at Indiana Equality, happy Thanksgiving

Making a Difference With State Legislators

Most of my under 40 friends get their news from on-line sources, USA Today and CNN.   I don’t know if that includes you, but that means that most LGBT citizens focus more on national issues and have relatively no idea how important the state lawmakers are to their lives. 

With the lack of an election this fall, it's easy to forget that the Indiana General Assembly will soon be back in session.  The short session begins in January (after a one-day organization session in November) and will complete its work in March.  However, a lot of work has already gone into putting together several initiatives on the state level.

Key Advocates:

IEA has held training sessions for those who have volunteered to serve as Key Advocates for the LGBT community with state senators and representatives. The goal is to provide every one of the 150 legislators with someone who is not only versed in the issues we need to deal with, but also someone the legislator can recognize and work well with. 

We will be holding additional training sessions before January to get all of our Key Advocates ready to be active and to bring their friends along!  Additional volunteers are needed.  Please contact Chris Becker at www.indianaequality.org  to get on the list. 

Mark Your Calendars for President's Day- Monday, February 15, 2010!

Indiana Equality will hold its annual Lobby Day on Feb. 15.  All Key Advocates and others interested in directly contacting the Legislators are invited to attend and learn about the issues, before we go to the statehouse to visit with the General Assembly.  Watch for further announcements.

Another Honor for IE

Indy Pride Inc has announced their scholarship recipients for the 2010 year. Among those that have been selected is Indiana Equality’s own Brandon Monson, Communications Chair for IE and IE Action.

Each year, Indy Pride, Inc. provides scholarships to students who have worked to make Indiana a better place for the LGBT community. Monies for the scholarship are obtained through fundraising events such as Laugh Out Loud and the annual IN Pride Festival.

Brandon is a senior at DePauw University in Greencastle and will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Brandon was also an Indy Pride Inc. scholarship recipient for the 2009 year. Indiana Equality and Indiana Equality Action congratulate Brandon and wish him the best for the remaining school year.

World AIDS Day Event to be Held in Seymour

Since 1988, World AIDS Day has been recognized as a time to bring individuals and organizations together to remember those who have died from HIV/AIDS, increase awareness of this ongoing pandemic, and celebrate the progress being made in the fight against the disease. World AIDS Day events will involve millions of people around the globe on December 1st around the global theme of “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”

In support of World AIDS Day, a community event will be held in Seymour on Tuesday, December 1st.

The program will also include a speaker, special music and a remembrance of those who have died of AIDS.

The event will be held in the meeting room of The Community Foundation of Jackson County located at 107 Community Drive in Seymour.

Refreshments will be served at 6:30pm,followed by the program from 7:00 to 8:00pm.

Sponsors of the event include American Red Cross of Jackson County, Immanuel United Church of Christ, BioScrip Pharmacy, Indiana AIDS Fund, Planned Parenthood of Indiana, Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, Positive Link, Step Up, Seymour Chapter of PFLAG, Carla’s Wellness, and the Gay Straight Alliance.  

Everyone is invited to attend.  

Contact:  Trina Tracy (812) 525-7888

ACLU Award to go to IE Field Organizer

  

American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana

ACLU Award to go to Indiana Equality Field Organizer

Dino Sierp Recognized for Work on Behalf of LGBT Hoosiers

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has announced that Dino Sierp, Indiana Equality Field Organizer is the 2009 recipient of the Chris Gonzales Award for her role in advancing civil liberties for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens of Indiana.

Mr. Gilbert Holmes, Executive Director for the ACLU of Indiana, explains “In choosing Dino for the award, we felt that her work with Indiana Equality best exemplified the values embraced by the late Chris Gonzales. Her efforts, along with the work of Indiana Equality, will be essential in securing basic civil rights for LGBT Hoosiers”.

The award is presented annually in commemoration of Indiana Youth Group founder Chris Gonzales to an individual or organization that has advanced civil liberties for LGBT Hoosiers.

Sierp joined Indiana Equality in early 2009 as the organizations first Field Organizer.  The position was made possible through a grant from the Tides Foundation with the purpose of expand civil rights protections based on either sexual orientation and gender identity/expression through local human rights ordinances.

“Dino’s achievements and successes are due to creative networking, forming community alliances and working well with diverse and minority communities,” observes Kathy Sarris, President of Indiana Equality. .”She has always been a strong and successful advocate for social change.”

For over 30 years, Ms. Sierp has provided educational programming and events for gay, lesbian, mental health, health care and minority communities.  This includes serving as a volunteer, fundraiser or employee of numerous Indiana organizations including the Indiana AIDS Walk and Festival, AIDS Spotlight, Y-ME of Central Indiana, Branching Out Productions, The Julian Center, Butler University, Indianapolis Public Schools, and the Women’s Hospital of Indianapolis.  Along with her work with Indiana Equality Sierp currently serves as a volunteer with the Indiana Canine Assistant Network, a local nonprofit that works with inmates in Indiana state prisons who do the two year training of service dogs which are then placed with children and adults living with physical disabilities.

The ACLU of Indiana is the Indiana affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU is dedicated to protecting the freedoms guaranteed to Indiana residents and businesses by the Indiana and United States Constitutions.   For more information regarding the ACLU of Indiana, please visit our website at www.aclu-in.org or contact us at 317-635-4059.

  

1031 East Washington Street - Indianapolis, Indiana  46202-3952 - p 317.635.4059 - f 317.635.4105
www.aclu-in.org

The Place You Know You Need to Be

On Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 6pm, friends and supporters will gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the year and further the cause of equality for all Hoosiers.

 

The second annual fundraising event will take place at the home of Joe Everhart and Ken Ramsay in their historic home located in Indianapolis’ Old Northside neighborhood.  The 1873 Italianate house was known for decades as the home of the Saenger Chor, a German social club. The home has been restored to its nineteenth-century appearance except for the basement where the German-styled bar has been retained in honor of the landmark’s social club era.

 

Similar to the inaugural event held last year at the Governor’s Residence, attendees will have the opportunity to sample soups, breads, and desserts from Central Indiana restaurants and chefs.  A silent auction will take place during the event and entertainment, provided by Deb Mullins, will be featured throughout the evening.  A cash bar will also be available.

 

The event is open to the public and supporters are encouraged to reserve tickets, priced at $80 each, through our website or calling 888-567-0750.

 

Sponsorships beginning at $250, are available.  The deadline for inclusion in the program is November 16^th.  Volunteers are also needed for the event.  Please call Chris Becker at 317-294-0354 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteering.

 

Give Thanks. Support Equality.

 

Halloween is over. We’ve changed our clocks. The crisp autumn weather is upon us.  Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  That time of year when we gather with family and friends to celebrate the many reasons we have to be thankful.

 

Though it has been a challenging year for many of us, we still have much for which we are thankful.  The same is true for Indiana Equality. 

 

IE is most thankful for the support it has received throughout the year.  IE is especially thankful for those who have contributed financially to support equality for all Hoosiers.

 

If you have not yet made a contribution to Indiana Equality, or are able to do so again, please consider doing so now.  The programs, services and community engagement activities IE undertakes are paving the way for an Indiana that treats citizen with the respect and fairness we deserve.  Your support of Indiana Equality provides the resources needed to achieve equality. 

 

Thank you again for your support, participation and involvement with Indiana Equality.