Indiana Equality

Get Busy Get Equal Workshops---SIGN UP TODAY

  

Want to make change in your community?  Do you want to make a difference in the efforts to achieve equality for all?

Join us at the Get Busy Get Equal workshop for a crash course on building community organizing and campaign skills. This participatory workshop will cover some of the basics you will need to know to get a campaign up and running in your city, town or campus.  Topics include:

• Research & Planning
• Coalition building
• Lobbying and advocacy basics
• Earned Media 101
• Working with volunteers

Dress comfortably and come prepared to participate; we will provide a (working!) lunch.

For your convenience the two trainings will occur on two different days at two different locations:

Friday, September 18 – Indianapolis RSVP
Location: 1828 N. Meridian Street, 2nd Floor (IBEW 481)
Time:  9:00 am to -3:00 pm  (Check-In/Registration opens at 8:00 am)
Cost:  $10.00 per person

OR

Saturday, September 19 – New Albany RSVP
Location: Indiana University Southeast - 4201 Grant Line Road
Time:  9:00 am to -3:00 pm  (Check-In/Registration opens at 8:00 am)
Cost:  $10.00 per person

Seating is Limited. Register Early!

Who Should Attend?  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons and allies who are interested in making a difference in their community on LGBT civil rights.

Training Facilitators
Nora Ranney is the Director of State Advocacy for the national ACLU’s LGBT Project in New York City.  In this capacity, she supports ACLU affiliates, statewide LGBT advocacy organizations, and allies to make change at the local and state levels. 

Nora brings an extensive background in organizing and campaigns, having worked on the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone’s re-election, several jobs and living wage campaigns and ballot initiatives, and managing nonprofit advocacy lobbying efforts.

Members of the Board of Directors for Indiana Equality and Indiana Equality Action will also be facilitating the training.

Sponsored by:
American Civil Liberties Union LGBT Project  Get Busy Get Equal
Indiana Equality
American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana
IU Southeast Civil Liberties Union

For further info:  ieinfo@indianaequality.org  or 888-567-0750

Indy Pride Scholarship Program

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

The scholarship deadline this year is October 1st. Scholarships are awarded in November at the annual Indy Pride Community Thanksgiving Event.

Once the application has been completed, mail applications to:

Indy Pride, Inc Scholarship Committee
P.O. Box 44403
Indianapolis, IN 46244-0403

All applications must be postmarked by October 1st to be considered.

Applications will be reviewed/awarded by the Scholarship Committee. It is imperative the applicants communicate their acceptance as soon as possible. Awarded applicants have through the end of December 2010 to utilize their well deserved scholarship. All checks will be payable to the appropriate institution’s Bursar’s Office. Therefore, please be complete with all necessary information to avoid complications/delays.

APPLICATION PROCESS

I. Personal Information: 
NOTE: All of the below information is a requirement to be eligible.

• Name
• Current mailing address
• Current Phone numbers that apply
• E-mail address
• Name of school or institution
• Appropriate office address such as Bursar’s office, Book store, etc.
• Telephone number(s)
• Current year in school
• Major and GPA
• Letter of reference from a faculty advisor, a GLBT organization or other appropriate individual such as an employer. Please include correct addresses and phone numbers for reference check.

II: Essay Questions:
NOTE: All questions must be answered to be eligible.

• How do you want to use your education in your life?
• How could this enhance the GLBT community?
• Discuss your personal involvement and/or your participation in organizations you are or have been directly associated with that support the GLBT within your community or on campus.
• There has been a request of you to make a presentation to a group of your peers discussing a health issue (HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, heart disease, etc.) that affects the GLBT community. Identify main points which clearly would illustrate the appropriate messages(s) such as prevention, treatment, and statistics. Also, if you were to include one individual to assist as a guest speaker, who would you select and why?
• How would you use this scholarship money if awarded?

Should Goshen expand its anti-discrimination law?

From etruth.com

GOSHEN -- The Goshen City Council expects a big crowd next week for its final decision on whether to expand the civil rights ordinance.

The meeting will happen at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Goshen High School auditorium, instead of the council chambers -- which were stuffed to overflowing last week for the first reading.

Council members are encouraging Goshen residents to contact them and voice their opinions, and to attend Tuesday's meeting.

Nobody argued in support of discrimination, but the issue brought out a variety of concerns from both sides. Here's the first of a two-part look at the issues raised in the community dialogue over the last few weeks.

THE ISSUE

Last week the Goshen City Council narrowly passed on first reading a change to the city's civil rights ordinance that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry. The issue will come before the council for its final reading next week.

The votes were: Julia Gautsche, for; Chic Lantz, for; Darryl Riegsecker, against; Dixie Robinson, against; Tom Stump, against; Jeremy Stutsman, for; and Everett Thomas, for....MORE

More Goshen News Coverage

Compliments of Goshen News.com

All of council should vote for rights amendment

On Tuesday, by virtue of a 4-3 vote, the Goshen City Council approved a controversial first reading of an amendment to its civil rights policy. The alteration would simply add four new words to the document.

Only it’s not that simple.

The four words are “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” The gist of the amendment is to essentially include gay and lesbians in the city’s civil rights practice. It seems practical enough, but then again, equal rights has traditionally been a battle in this country. So, as expected, Tuesday’s first reading sparked passionate testimony from both sides of the gay-straight fence. ...MORE

Help protect marriage equality in Maine!

From Indiana Equality Action

We don't usually write to you about things going on outside of Indiana but this is too important to keep to ourselves. We just got this urgent request for help from our friend Betsy Smith, the Executive Director of EqualityMaine.  They're facing a Prop. 8-style ballot campaign to take away marriage equality this fall.  But this time we can win - if everyone helps. 

The vote in Maine this fall is our community's best chance to win marriage at the ballot for the first time ever!

This fall, there is no more important place to be to help achieve equality than on the ground in Maine. Please read Betsy's message below to learn more about this chance to help make history and have an amazing, life-changing experience in the process.

For Equality,

Walter Botich, Indiana Equality Action President	Randy Studt, Indiana Equality Action Vice President

FORWARDED MESSAGE
FROM: Betsy Smith, Equality Maine
SUBJECT: HELP PROTECT MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN MAINE

In May, Maine became the fifth state in the country to win marriage for same-sex couples. Within days of this victory, the opposition launched a People's Veto campaign--modeled after California's Prop 8--to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. Maine is now ground zero in the national fight for marriage equality.

And we need your help. Please join us for a Volunteer-Vacation.

Maine's state motto is "Vacationland" and if you've ever been here, you understand why. As the November election approaches, Maine will be hosting highly motivated volunteers from around the country in our Volunteer-Vacation program as part of the No on 1: Protect Maine Equality campaign.

Volunteer-Vacation is a 1 or 2 week structured program designed for individuals who want to volunteer, full-time, on our campaign to protect marriage at the ballot box. It is an intensive, hands-on chance to hone your campaign skills.

Help us protect marriage by taking a Volunteer-Vacation in Maine.

If you cannot come to Maine to volunteer, you can still help us protect marriage in Maine by making a contribution. We need to raise $150,000 by August 31--all of which will be matched dollar for dollar.

Please make a contribution, however big or small, to help protect marriage in Maine.

As Maine goes, so goes the nation. Maine is poised to become the first state in the nation to win marriage at the ballot box. Please help us achieve this victory in Maine, and in so doing, help us set the stage for additional victories throughout the nation.

Thank you,

Betsy Smith
Executive Director
EqualityMaine

Join Indiana Equality at the upcoming Get Busy Get Equal workshops!

Want to make change in your community?  Do you want to make a difference in the efforts to achieve equality for all?

Join us at the Get Busy Get Equal workshop for a crash course on building community organizing and campaign skills. This participatory workshop will cover some of the basics you will need to know to get a campaign up and running in your city, town or campus.  Topics include:

• Research & Planning
• Coalition building
• Lobbying and advocacy basics
• Earned Media 101
• Working with volunteers

Dress comfortably and come prepared to participate; we will provide a (working!) lunch.

For your convenience the two trainings will occur on two different days at two different locations:

Friday, September 18 – Indianapolis RSVP
Location: 1828 N. Meridian Street, 2nd Floor (IBEW 481)
Time:  9:00 am to -3:00 pm  (Check-In/Registration opens at 8:00 am)
Cost:  $10.00 per person

OR

Saturday, September 19 – New Albany RSVP
Location: Indiana University Southeast - 4201 Grant Line Road
Time:  9:00 am to -3:00 pm  (Check-In/Registration opens at 8:00 am)
Cost:  $10.00 per person

Seating is Limited. Register Early!

Who Should Attend?  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons and allies who are interested in making a difference in their community on LGBT civil rights.

Training Facilitators
Nora Ranney is the Director of State Advocacy for the national ACLU’s LGBT Project in New York City.  In this capacity, she supports ACLU affiliates, statewide LGBT advocacy organizations, and allies to make change at the local and state levels. 

Nora brings an extensive background in organizing and campaigns, having worked on the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone’s re-election, several jobs and living wage campaigns and ballot initiatives, and managing nonprofit advocacy lobbying efforts.

Members of the Board of Directors for Indiana Equality and Indiana Equality Action will also be facilitating the training.

Sponsored by:
American Civil Liberties Union LGBT Project  Get Busy Get Equal
Indiana Equality
American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana
IU Southeast Civil Liberties Union

For further info:  ieinfo@indianaequality.org  or 888-567-0750

State Fair Recap & Equality Weekend!

Hundreds of people helped turn the State Fair “red” on Thursday for the first annual Pride Day at the Indiana State Fair.  Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers enjoyed a day of smiles, music, animals, amusement rides and, of course, food.

Organized by the Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, Indy Pride, and Indiana Equality, this unofficial State Fair event helped to show fair attendees that we and our families are part of the community.

State Fair highlights for those who attended Pride Day included a free concert by MC Hammer, the state’s largest boar, Red Gold’s salsa recipe contest and more deep-fried food than any one person could handle.

Thanks for attending the biggest summer event on the Hoosier calendar and for showing your Pride at the Indiana State Fair!  Watch your calendar for the 2010 Pride Day at the State Fair.

Show Your Support for Equality: Check Out These Events Going on This Weekend!

August Equality Weekend

Indy Pride Scholarship Program

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

The scholarship deadline this year is October 1st. Scholarships are awarded in November at the annual Indy Pride Community Thanksgiving Event.

Once the application has been completed, mail applications to:

Indy Pride, Inc Scholarship Committee
P.O. Box 44403
Indianapolis, IN 46244-0403

All applications must be postmarked by October 1st to be considered.

Applications will be reviewed/awarded by the Scholarship Committee. It is imperative the applicants communicate their acceptance as soon as possible. Awarded applicants have through the end of December 2010 to utilize their well deserved scholarship. All checks will be payable to the appropriate institution’s Bursar’s Office. Therefore, please be complete with all necessary information to avoid complications/delays.

APPLICATION PROCESS

I. Personal Information:
NOTE: All of the below information is a requirement to be eligible.

• Name
• Current mailing address
• Current Phone numbers that apply
• E-mail address
• Name of school or institution
• Appropriate office address such as Bursar’s office, Book store, etc.
• Telephone number(s)
• Current year in school
• Major and GPA
• Letter of reference from a faculty advisor, a GLBT organization or other appropriate individual such as an employer. Please include correct addresses and phone numbers for reference check.

II: Essay Questions:
NOTE: All questions must be answered to be eligible.

• How do you want to use your education in your life?
• How could this enhance the GLBT community?
• Discuss your personal involvement and/or your participation in organizations you are or have been directly associated with that support the GLBT within your community or on campus.
• There has been a request of you to make a presentation to a group of your peers discussing a health issue (HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, heart disease, etc.) that affects the GLBT community. Identify main points which clearly would illustrate the appropriate messages(s) such as prevention, treatment, and statistics. Also, if you were to include one individual to assist as a guest speaker, who would you select and why?
• How would you use this scholarship money if awarded?

 

Goshen Press Coverage

Check out some press coverage of Goshen's City Council approving an inclusive civil rights ordinance here.