Is Obama The "Fierce Advocate" For LGBT Rights That He Said He Would Be?

Organizing for America Community Action Night / LGBT ISSUES

NOTE: This will be the first time that all three Nevada Stonewall Organizations will participate in a joint meeting using New Media.

We will be discussing the Pro-LGBT policies of the Obama administration since he took office in 2009.

Just a few policies that the administration has produced in the last two years:

http://www.democrats.org/people/lgbt_community/lgbt_equality_accomplishments_of_the_obama_administration

We hope you will join us either in person or online at:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/is-obama-the-lgbt-community-s-fierce-advocate-yes

Wednesday, March 16th
LGBTQ with Guest Speakers include Derek Washington, Chair Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada. Also speaking will be Angela Brooks, Chairman of Northern Stonewall. Chris Miller President of State Stonewall will be telling us about the upcoming Equality Days in Cartson City of which he is Co-Director along with him giving us an update on the pending LGBT focused bills working their way through the Nevada Legislature.

We will be broadcasting live on Ustream from 5-7pm

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/is-obama-the-lgbt-community-s-fierce-advocate-yes

WHERE:
OFA Headquarters
2475 S. Jones Blvd #7 Las Vegas, NV 89146
(NW corner of Jones and Sahara, by Taco Bell)

TIME:
5:00–8:00 PM
5:00–5:30 PM Mix & Mingle
5:30–6:30 PM Educational Portion
6:30–8:00 PM Action Portion


What is the Idea Behind OFA CAN?
Our intent for OFA Community Action Night is simple: Knowledge + action = activism. The first portion of each OFA CAN allows you to mix and mingle with fellow supporters. From there we learn about a particular legislative issue and then break up into small groups to immediately organize around the issue.

Every OFA CAN concludes by giving you time to take action on the spot! If you like writing letters to the editor/blogs or even just talking to other supporters, then this Community Action Night is for you! Please bring a laptop or pen/paper.

A VERY SINCERE THANK YOU

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Hi All,

Well, we did it. We won some and we lost some. Most importantly, Stonewall Democrats of Southern Nevada stepped up and helped out several campaigns in a way that has never been done before.

We should be especially proud of our efforts on behalf of Senator Reid and Congresswoman Titus. I’d also like to pat you all on the back for the work we’ve done getting to know our judicial candidates. I know quite a few Stonewall members became “go-to” people on sample ballots that people took to the polls and of that I am most proud.

I have to say thank you to Chandler Levrich for getting us through the rough patches in the beginning when we needed to know how the club actually operated “backstage”.

None of what we’ve accomplished this year could have been without our board, Sandy Eddy, Chris Miller, Laura Martin, Leo Murrietta and our newest board member, Nathaniel Phillips.

I have to heap special praise on two board members. Andrew “Nerdrock” Davey is not only our Secretary; he is our Political Director who guided us through so many issues so that Stonewall has always had a ready answer when needed for our membership and politicians who needed guidance on our issues. He has been a tireless and dedicated campaign helper for several candidates and I’m not only thankful to him, but, proud as well.

Karen “Tool Time Barbie” Grayson has been an amazing Director of Transgender Outreach and been an excellent volunteer on every event we have had. In addition, I feel safe in saying; we could not have built the Senator David Parks Lending Library at The Center without her. She also has empowered the Transgender community with her tireless personal outreach to our Nevada politicians and candidates. All of this led us to present her with the very first “Stonewall Member of the Year” award named in her honor.

Sandy, Chris and Laura have been exceptional in making Stonewall one of the top clubs in the party and helping Stonewall have a national presence through our activism and Laura’s press releases.

I expect great things from Nathaniel as well. Now that he is free from his two consecutive campaigns, we hope Leo will be able to expand on the work that we have been doing in the Latino / Immigrant rights movement.

I also wish to thank Alptamise Hailey and Kimberly Michelle who helped us raise quite a bit of our election war chest through their generosity.

There are no words to express the amazing support that the staff of Senator Reid has given Stonewall. I simply say thanks.

Wes, Debra, Gayle, Tina and Ryan at The Arts Factory and Bar Bistro helped us make our name as the best place to learn about politics in the entire state, thank you!

Thank you Genevieve Flores and Linsey Peckonis for your brief but vital stay here in our state helping to “Elect Equality”.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to Rob Schlegel, Kelly MacFarlane Smith, Qvegas Magazine and the LGBT Statewide Coalition for their support as we expanded our role into helping build the LGBT community into a political force and an agent of social change in Nevada with the respect of the local media and politicians.

This letter could not be complete without a heartfelt thank you to Clark County Democratic Chairwoman Roberta Lange. She has been our advisor, friend and our champion. She and her husband Ken have been extraordinary in their support of our club and its goals. Thank you so much Roberta.

Thank you all,

Derek Washington
Chairman Stonewall Democrats of Southern Nevada

JOHN BONAVENTURA JUST ANSWER YES OR NO!

Over the past few days you have refused to give a simple answer on whether or not you wrote a homophobic letter when you were an Assemblyman on State Letterhead. In addition, you have refused to answer whether or not you had a sign on your desk that read, "No Rights For Sodomites".

I would appreciate an answer immediately. Yes or No answers only. I have become increasingly exasperated with your tap dancing around the questions as if you were trying to just keep dancing until we "Yahoos" leave you alone.

Furthermore, you have decided that this is somehow the fault of everyone from some imaginary intern to the great unknown homophobic UNR football player (Btw, you should be ashamed of yourself for smearing the University that way). You have tried to say that this couldn't have happened because you always sign both first and last names to your letters. You seem to remember the details of every single thing of the time except whether or not you signed this homophobic letter or had that homophobic and rather childish sign on your desk. If your office was run so haphazardly that interns and college football players were able to issue derogatory letters on your state letterhead, why should I support your run for an office that requires way more management skills than you seem to posses?

I am also putting you on notice that I am a hard core Democrat. I am Chairman of the largest LGBT political organization in this state. In addition I have almost 4,000 "Friends" on Facebook, 2,000 or so followers on Twitter and was recently named one the "Top Ten Bloggers in Las Vegas" by AOLand co-host a progressive radio show with Stonewall Democrats State Caucus President Chris Miller. I say that, not to brag. I am telling you this to explain to you that I will keep asking you this question until I get a Yes or No answer to my questions, to Chris Miller's questions AND to Republican Mark Ciavola's questions. If you can't answer the simple questions we have asked, I will simply encourage everyone I reach everyday to start asking you those very same questions.

I don't know if you're trying to run out the clock until voting begins, but rest assured, I want an answer well before the early voting process begins. I have never voted for a Republican in my life, do not force me to in your case.

Your opponent will be a guest on our show this Saturday, I welcome your participation as well.

I expect an answer soon.

Derek Washington

THE SAUSAGE FACTORY SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 2010

THIS WEEK ON THE SAUSAGE FACTORY

This week is major with an in depth look at Politics, Law, Pop Culture and Race around the country. Of course, we'll also have Twitter Trendz & Sports!

Join your hosts Chris Miller, Laura Martin & Derek Washington for a show that will make you think and laugh!
Saturday 27 August 2010 10am -1pm www.vegasallnet.radio.com



10:10 Tommy Christopher – White House correspondent
10:30 Congresswoman Titus of Nevada

11:00 Christopher Geidner - aka “The Law Dork”
11:20 Jarrett Barrios - President of GLAAD
11:40 Ari Ezra Waldman. - Legal expert will discuss “Stop! Or my HIV will shoot you!”

12:05 Elon James - This Week In Blackness
12:23 Jwebb - With The Weekly Sports Wrap Up
12:35 J.Son - From Naked Boy News to tell us about his contest to become the next “Gay Travel Guru”
12:45 Lane Hudson - On The DC Mayoral Race

PLAN ON IT! BRING SOME MONEY HOME FOR GOOD!

Sometimes in my quest to change the world, I get so frustrated at all the different progressive organizations that really just seem to be places for "Donate Now" buttons to have a home on the "internets".

In fact, if I get one more request from another DC based organization asking me for my measly cash, you might just see me on the 6pm news:

"This is Veronica Maria Candi Marie Shawntelle Jackson Chong Cardenal for the Eyewitness on The Street Eye In The Sky Action News Team in a rather shady, yet , will be hip in 5 years, neighborhood, downtown. A chubby ,but, fabulously dressed Negro seems to be standing on a 2nd floor ledge threatening to throw a laptop at Metro officers. The 28 year old political activist (hey, it's my blog, I'll be whatever age I damn well please.) says he can't take one more email from progressive rights organizations asking him to 'DONATE NOW'"

Really.

I swear.

Well, The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, or PLAN, has a novel way of raising funds to do good progressive work all on CHASE Banks dime. It seems that CHASE is holding a contest on Face Book that will actually let people decide who should receive grants ranging from $25,000 to over a million Dollarroonies.

I shall explain.

Of course.

PLAN is a coalition of about 30 groups dedicated to social, economic and environmental justice in the Silver State.


PLAN uses research, public education, leadership development and grassroots organizing to build power and create more humane solutions to Nevada’s problems

Moiself keeps up to date on all the very latest news and reports on the social, political and environmental issues facing the state by checking in at the PLAN website or watching vids at YouTube.

You will to.

Of course.

Oh yes, back to the money.

It's tres simple.

That's French for even you can do this.

Simply copy and paste : apps.facebook.com into your browser and within a few short clicks, you will have voted for PLAN. Hopefully you will have told your friends to do the same and PLAN will have a little something extra to do good work with right here LOCALLY.

BUT!

And this is VERY IMPORTANT!

You MUST vote no later than Friday 11 December 2009!

One more time.

YOU MUST VOTE BY FRIDAY DECEMBER 11 2009!

And your little friends too.

CHECK OUT THE PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE OF NEVADA:

www.planevada.org

OR

www.youtube.com/user/planevada

And of course PLAN is on Facebook.

Isn't everyone?