Frontlines_v9.no1.1999.03.pdf
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- Frontlines_v9.no1.1999.03.pdf
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P operty of the Center
OUTFRONT
ront ines
NEWS FROM OUTFRONT MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA
by Ann DeGroot
A few months ago, I was interviewing
a potential candidate for OutFront
Minnesota's board of directors. I was
•
explaining the various programs and
projects we carry out, as well as our
role in dialogues, across the state,
when I noticed a look of surprise on
the candidate's face. "Oh my gosh,"
he said. "I didn't know you did a//
that."
You too may be surprised by what
Ouffront Minnesota is doing. Our
work, from our statewide outreach
I
and education programs to our lobbying at the state capitol, reaches
from Minneapolis to Moorhead . Our
legal, anti-violence, and public-policy
programs are effecting change on
behalf of the gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender community every
month. Our 24-hour lnfoline serves
people who are seeking information
LETTER CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
IN
THIS
ISSUE
Lobby Day brings GLBT equality
message to capitol .......... ..1
lnfoline .....................3
Annual conference to focus on
media training, social change,
and hometown activism
across Minnesota
traight lines may be the staple of
most architectural plans, but when
activists from the gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender, and allied
communities gather next month to draw
up a blueprint for GLBT equality in
Minnesota, the resulting sketch is likely
to be anything but straight.
Nearly 200 activists, community organizers, lawmakers, church leaders, educators, and everyday citizens are
expected
to
participate in
the three-day
OutFront 5 conference, an annual weekend of workshops, roundtables, and community-development discussions sponsored by OutFront Minnesota. This year's
To register for OutFront 5, please return
the registration form included in this
N e w s & N o t e s ............. .5
newsletter or call OutFront Minnesota's
I n s i d e O u t F r o n t ......... .. 5
612-822-0127 (800-8000-0350), ext.
24-hour automated registration line at
Ca I e n d a r o f Ev e nt s ...... .6
611. Or check out the OutFront 5 Web
site at http://www.pclink.com/OutFront
GLADD's Cathy Renna
conference will take place Friday, March
26, through Sunday, March 28, at the
Willmar Holiday Inn and Conference
Center in Willmar, Minn.
"People from all over the state attend
the conference," says Scott Fearing, the
statewide organizer for OutFront
Minnesota. "They network, learn from
each other, and leave feeling rejuvenated.
They go back to Crookston or Grand
Rapids or Woodbury with tools that can
help them change their communities."
This year's OutFront conference will feature presentations by media expert Cathy
Renna, inspirational speaker Tom Hehir,
and Berkeley cultural-studies professor Elias
Farajaje-Jones. Renna, director of community relations for the Gay and Lesbian
COVER STORY CONT INUED ON PAGE 4
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
about the GLBT community; our
speakers bureau and education programs impact hundreds people every
year; and our staff regularly collaborates with other organizations to promote the equality of all Minnesotans.
And with OutFront Minnesota's mission to eliminate heterosexism and
homophobia in Minnesota, that's just
the beginning.
If all that comes as a surprise, it
won't in the months ahead .
Frontlines, our newly launched
monthly newsletter, which is edited
by former Q Monthly editor Joel
Hoekstra, will keep you informed of
OutFront's progress and victories as
they happen . We'll keep you posted
on past events, including OutFront's
Lobby Day at the state capitol (see
page 2), as well as such upcoming
activities as the weekend-long
OutFront 5 conference (see cover
story). Let us know what you thinkabout our work, and about Frontlines.
(For contact information, check out
page 4 .) Or better yet, attend an
OutFront event. (You'll find a registration form on page 3.)
Still surprised? Just wait till you see
the plans OutFront Minnesota is
drawing up for 1999 and beyond . Our
activism and advocacy on behalf of
GLBT people is changing hearts and
minds across Minnesota.
Ann DeGroot
Executive Director
OutFront Minnesota
Legislative leaders hear from GLBT community and allies
Legislators got an earful from GLBTA
constituents
during
OutFront
Minnesota's third-annual Lobby Day,
held March 4. More than 200 people
from more than 50 districts descended on
the state capitol in St. Paul to speak with
legislative leaders regarding issues affecting the GLBT community.
"We often hear lawmakers say, 'Why
should we care about your community? I
never hear from gay people in my district?'" says OutFront public policy coordinator Bart J. Cannon. "It's important to
let people know that they have GLBT
people in their district."
Constituents attending Lobby Day met
with various Senate and House members
to talk about issues ranging from gay
marriage to transgender healthcare to
education and services for GLBT youth.
Among the major issues pressed by many
participants, Cannon says, was the importance of preserving the 1993 amendment
to the state Human Rights Act, which protects GLBT individuals from some forms
of discrimination. "Each year," Cannon
says, "right-wing lawmakers attempt to
chip away at those protections. Part of
OutFront's job is to keep people aware of
these assaults on our basic human rights."
A widespread network of GLBTfriendly lawmakers and legislative staff
members help keep OutFront abreast
of changes at the capitol that
might affect GLBT
individuals. OutFront
lobbyist C. Scott
OutFront Minnesota is a not-for profit 501 (c)4 lobbying organization supported primarily by contributions from individuals. Donations to OutFront Minnesota are not tax deductible.
OutFront Minnesota -Community Services in a not-for-profit
501 (c)3 direct service organization supported primarily
by funding from the United Way, foundations, and select
government contracts as well as some fees for services
provided. Donations to OutFront Minnesota Community
Services are tax deductible as charitable contributions
as allowed under federal law.
OutFront Minnesota 's mission is to eliminate heterosexism
and homophobia in Minnesota .
OutFront Minnesota Board Member
Robert Sykora (left) confers with Public
Policy Program coordinator Bart J. Cannon.
Cooper and executive director Ann
DeGroot visit the capitol regularly to
meet with legislators regarding legislation
and issues affecting the GLBT community. But professional lobbying efforts can
only go so far, Cannon says: "Legislators
won't take action until they hear from constituents. One of the most powerful parts
of Lobby Day is that it gives people the
chance to make that personal connection
with their representatives. Sometimes,
that's exactly what's needed to make a
lawmaker change his or her mind."
Likewise, Cannon adds, it's also important to give kudos to legislators who consistently vote yes on GLBT issues or who
go out on a limb on a vote affecting the
GLBT community. "Legislators need
support," he explains. "They need to
be told thank you. It's a
reminder that we care when
they cast their votes." ,0
OutFront Minnesota Board of Directors
Rebecca Gaspard
Chair
Marjorie Cowmeadow
Vice-Chair
Phillip Voight
Secretary
Monica Bryand
Julia Classen
Steve Figlmiller
PAGE 2
Vicki Johnson
Gil Kiekenapp
Gus Ljungkull
Frontlines is published monthly by
OutFront Minnesota
310 E. 38th St., Suite 204
Minneapolis, MN 55409-1337.
Copyright 1999.
Donn Poll
Jim Quinn
FRONTLINES
News from OutFront Minnesota
Chris Reisdorf
Robert Sykora
Editor: Joel Hoekstra
Graphic Designer: Kim Dalros
REGISTRATION FORM
Outfront 5 conference, March 26, 27, and 28
** Lunch included, _
GLAAD Media Training only**
(check) for vegetarian
$60*
$ _ __
Conference & Media Training**
** Meals included, _ (check) for vegetarian
$135*
$_ _
Conference only**
** Meals included, _ (check) for vegetarian
$110*
$_ _
Conference only Low-income Rate**
** Meals included, _(c heck) fo r vegetarian
$7 5*
$_ __
* Add $25 late registration fee after March 10
Effective Educator Training:
St. Cloud, April 9 & 10
$30
$._ __
St. Paul, May 7 & 8
$30
$_ _
Duluth, May 21 & 22
$30
$_ _
Committee for a Legislative Voice Victory Celebration, April 13
$50
* Add $10 late registration fee after March 30
* Add $10 late regi stration fee after April 29
* Add $10 late registration fee after May 10
admits 2
$____
Outfront Minnesota Membership:
Individual: $35 • Household: $50 • Low Income and Student: $20
OutFront Minnesota is a not-for profit 501 (c)4 lobbying organization supported primarily by contri butions from
individuals. Donations to OutFront Minnesota are not tax deductible .
Name ________________________
Partner_______________________
Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _State ____.Zip_ _ _ _ _ __
Home Phone(_) _ _ _ _ _ _ __
TOTAL$_ _ _ __
Check Enclosed $_ _ _ _ _ __
Charge to my VISA or MasterCard:
Account# _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Expiration Date: _ _ _ _ _ _ __
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
Anti-Violence Report, set to be
released at a press conference on
March 22 . The annual report, compiled by OutFront's Anti-Violence
Program, focuses on hate crimes and
violence against GLBT individuals and
the impact such actions have on the
GLBT community. The 1998 report
will include valuable resources for
addressing and combating hate crimes,
local and national statistics on such
crimes, information on OutFront's initiatives on hate crimes, and more.
Watch this newsletter and local media
for more information about the release
of this important document.
MLBA to host social for students, attorneys
The
Minnesota
Lavender
Bar
Association (MLBA) will cosponsor a
social gathering of area law students and
legal professionals on April 9, from 6 to
11 p.m., at the home of Hamline
University law professor Phillip Miner.
MLBA, a project of the OutFront
Minnesota legal program that brings
together legal professionals and law
students working in and for the GLBT
communities, will host the event with
the GLBT law student groups from
Hamline, the University of Minnesota,
and William Mitchell College of Law.
For further information, call OutFront's
Legal Program at 612-822-0127 (800800-0350), ext. 103.
Meet Philanthrofund's new director
Community members are invited to join
Philanthrofund Foundation supporters at
a reception for the organization's new
executive director, Kit Waickman. The
event will be held Thursday, March 18,
from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Intermedia Arts
(2822 Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis) and
PAGE 3
will include a presentation of
Philanthrofund's 1999-2000 Strategic
Plan at 5:30 p.m. For more information,
call 612-82 7-0992.
Hollywood 12 moves to Sunday
Dust off those tuxes and tiaras! The
Oscar night gala returns on Sunday,
March 21, to the Orpheum Theatre and
Bravo! Event Center in downtown
Minneapolis. This annual event benefiting four local AIDS services organizations is the perfect place to mingle
with friends and enjoy the Academy
Awards broadcast on a movie-sized
screen. Plus, you'll find live entertainment, desserts from 50 area restaurants,
and the best people-watching this side
of Los Angeles. For tickets, call
Ticketmaster at 612-989-5151. Tickets
..,0
$25-$100.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Alliance Against Defamation, will
lead off the conference Friday morning with a training on working with
the media. Participants will learn
how to develop an effective communications strategy, including tips on
creating key messages, handling
interviews, writing press releases,
and cultivating relationships with
media professionals.
Hehir, who will provide the
Saturday morning keynote address,
is principal of Aspire Consulting in
San Francisco, Calif. Through his
consulting work with major corporations and GLBT organizations,
he has witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by GLBT individuals
working in organizations. He will
speak on navigating organizational
obstacles and strengthening individuals and organizations in the
GLBT community.
Dr. Farajaje-Jones will present
Saturday evening's keynote, focusing
on sexual-minority identities and
spirituality. An artist and selfdescribed "thea/ologian," FarajajeJones teaches at the Starr King
School for Ministry in Berkeley, Calif.
OutFront 5 will kick off with a
full menu of activities on Friday
morning-a departure from previous years, notes Fearing, when conference events typically didn't get
under way until the evening. In
addition to roundtable discussions
for various segments of the GLBTA
community-including sessions for
youth, people of color, rural residents, and straight allies-the day's
lineup will include a welcoming
reception and dinner, followed by a
briefing on GLBT activism happening across the state, presented
by OutFront Minnesota.
Other OutFront 5 activities
include:
• "Chronicles of a Movement":
Reflecting on the rise of GLBT
actIVIsm in recent decades,
Minnesota organizers will offer a
Information from, for, and about
wealth of perspectives and stories on
coming out and effecting change.
• Workshop sessions: A variety of
discussions and panels on sexuality,
education, politics, fundraising and
grant writing, health and wellness,
legal issues, trans- and bi-activism,
gender, the arts, and more.
• Talk with OutFront Minnesota:
Learn more about the brand-new
organization that is actually 12
years old. OutFront staff and board
members will be on hand to answer
questions about the organization's
mission, strategy, and agenda.
• Community socializing and
entertainment: Get to know other
GLBTA individuals over a cup of
coffee or a cocktail. Or, on Saturday
night, trade quips with Miss
Richfield and rock out at the community dance.
• Regional breakouts: A chance for
citizens from the four comers of
Minnesota to meet with other people
from their regions and discuss strategies for addressing GLBT issues.
The conference will culminate
with the development of a statewide
plan for addressing GLBT concerns, based on suggestions that
emerge from the regional breakouts. This plan will serve as a blueprint for OutFront and other organizations as they work together to
address the needs of the gay community across the state.
Still not convinced you should
attend OutFront 5? Fearing says
many participants find the most
attractive part of attending the
conference is the opportunity it
provides to rub shoulders with
other members of the GLBTA
community. "Year after year I hear
that people liked the lectures, the
panels, and the workshops, but that
the most important element was
making personal connections,"
says organizer Fearing. "It's the
one-on-one connections that make
the difference."
'()
PAGE 4
Minnesota's vibrant gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
communities is available 24 hours a
day by calling the
Outfront Minnesota lnfoLine
612-822-0127, ext. 0
(800-800-0350, ext. 0)
Outfront Minnesota Services
• 24-Hour Counseling
• Public Policy Program
• Statewide Organizing
• Anti-Violence Program
• Legal Program
• Speakers Bureau
Visitor Information
• Bars
• Coffeehouses
• Restaurants
• Stores
• Hotels
• Sightseeing
Support Services
• Coming-out Support
• Counseling
• Transgender Groups
• Recovery Groups
Community Activities
• Special Events
• Pride Festivals
• Community Organizations
• Political Activities
Personal Growth Programs
• Youth Programs
• School Programs
• Senior Programs
• Family Programs
Physical Heath Resources
• Medical Providers
• HIV/AIDS Resources
• STD Clinics
• Same-sex Partnerships
lP operty of t he Cen •er
Educator Trainings scheduled
If you ended up on the waiting list
for the Effective Educator
Training offered in February,
there's good news: OutFront
Minnesota will offer a St. Cloud
area training on Friday and
Saturday, April 9 and 1O; a second
Twin Cities training on Friday and
Saturday, May 7 and 8; and a training in Duluth on Friday and
Saturday, May 21 and 22 . The
trainings provide tips on confronting bigotry and educating
others on GLBT issues. The cost
for
attending
the
10-hour
Effective Educator Training is
$30, with a late fee of $10 for registrations received less than 10
days before the session. To register
for this event, use the form included in this newsletter or call
OutFront's 24-hour automated
registration line at 612-822-012 7
(800-800-0350), ext. 611.
Victory Celebration planned
The Committee for a Legislative
Voice, a community-based fundraising venture formed to support
OutFront's legislative lobbying
efforts, will hold a Victory
Celebration on Tuesday, April 13,
to celebrate its successful campaign
to raise political-lobbying funds for
the 1999. Held from 5 to 8 p.m. at
the American Swedish Institute
(2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis), the
event will feature a special guest
speaker, as well as an insiders'
update on capitol goings-on by
state Sen. Allan Spear, Rep. Karen
Clark, and OutFront lobbyist C.
Scott Cooper. Beverages and hors
d'oeuvres will be served. Tickets
are $50 and admit two (a great
opportunity to bring a friend or
family member). CLV members
and OutFront's Center Circle
members will receive their tickets
in the mail approximately two
weeks prior to the event.
OutFront in northern Minnesota
A Grand Rapids resident contacted
OutFront late last year after an area
church sponsored a "Halloween
Hell House" that included an antigay vignette. Following up on the
matter with its contacts in northern
Minnesota, OutFront helped facilitate several community meetings in
which participants identified needs
for GLBTA networking, education, and visibility in Grand
Rapids. This fledgling group will
hold an initial, "by invitation only"
meeting later this spring, with the
aim of creating several working
groups that can address issues facing the area's GLBTA community.
For further information, call
OutFront statewide organizer Scott
Fearing at 612-822-0127 (800-8000350), ext. 11 l.
It's easy to reach
OutFront Minnesota:
By mail:
310 E. 38th St., Suite 204
Minneapolis, MN 55409-1337
By E-mail:
OutFront@OutFront.org
OutFront 5 conference Web site
http://www.pcl ink.com/OutFront
By fax:
612-822-8786
By telephone:
612-822-0127
(800-800-0350)
V
Ext. 0 - lnfoline:
for 24-hour a day information from,
for, and about Minnesota's vibrant
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities, dial ext. 0.
River citizens form Out in the Valley
In September, OutFront held a
community meeting to discuss the
quality of life for GLBT and allied
individuals living in the St. Croix
Valley area. More than 60 people
attended, and from that evening
gathering has sprung Out in the
Valley, an organization of GLBT
and allied individuals who live in
the St. Croix river valley stretching
from Taylors Falls to Hastings.
The group gathers monthly for
social and educational events and is
forming working groups to address
school and community issues.
Upcoming meetings are scheduled
for Wednesday, March 17, and
Wednesday, April 21. For more
information, call Out in the Valley
at 612-822-012 7 (800-800-0350),
ext. 502.
OutFront Minnesota staff extensions:
107 - Ann DeGroot Executive Director
106 - Doug Federhart Deputy Directo r
103 - Joni Thome Legal Program
Coordinator
102 - Tommie Seidel Anti-Violence Program
Coordinator
101 - Amy Krupinski Anti-Vi olence Program
Advocate
104 - Kathy Lee Volunteer Coordinator
111 - Scott Fearing Statewide Organizer
109 - Bart J. Cannon Public Policy
Coordinator
510 - C. Scott Cooper Legislative Lobbyist
110 - Gregg White Development Director
108 - Maryann Wolters Business Manager
Community organization extensions:
500 - Millenium March on Washington
501 - Workplace Alliance
502 - St. Croix Valley group
503 - BECAUSE bisexual group
506 - Longfellow neighborhood group
OutFront Minnesota extensions:
Anti-Violence report set for release
Violence affecting transgender
individuals is the subject of a special
segment within OutFront's 1998
NEWS & NOTES CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PAGE 5
611 - 24-hour OutFront Minnesota event
registration
622 - GLBT community events information
608 - OutFront 5 Conference information
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MARCH 1 9 9 9
4 - OutFront Minnesota's GLBT Community Lobby Day: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., state capitol, St. Paul
4
12 - Walker After Hours: 8 p.m.-midnight, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
14 - 12 years ago, AIDS activists found ACT UP
•
~
17 - St. Patrick's Day
17 - Out in the Valley meeting, sponsored by St. Croix Valley GLBT group, time and location TBA
18 - Philanthrofund's Meet the Executive Director: 4:30-6:30 p.m., lntermedia Arts, Minneapolis
21 - Hollywood 12: 6:30 p.m., Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis
21-27 - Week of "Equality Begins at Home" campaign activities launched nationwide
22 - 1998 Hate Crimes Report press conference, State Office Building, St. Paul
26-28 - OutFront 5 conference, Wilmar Convention Center, Willmar
Plan ahead:
April 13 - Committee for a Legislative Voice Victory Celebration: 5-8 p.m ., American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis
April 16 - 18 Midwest Trans lnstitute's "Transcendence": U of M's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Minneapolis
April 23-25 - BECAUSE Bisexual Conference: Metropolitan State University, St. Paul
•
Part of Frontlines : v.9:no.1(1999:Mar.)