Four weeks to go!

Hi all--

Here we are: down to the end of it. I wanted to share a few updates from recent events. First of all, the Building Change conference happened Oct 13-15 and for it, I led a workshop on LGBT workplace issues and also helped facilitate the final Saturday session. My workshop had few people in it--low turnout is always frustrating--I think I could have done a better job of advertising for it, but with everything else, it kind of dropped off. Still, I think the folks who were there got something out of it and I was glad to have Stephen Alan Glassman, former cabinet secretary to Ed Rendell and first out elected official in PA, as well as Ella Kuperminc, the first allied member of Alcoa's LGBTA employer resource group (EAGLE).

Winona LaDuke

Building Change offered the opportunity to have some great conversations with community members of all stripes. The keynote speaker was Winona LaDuke, Native American (Anishinaabe), economist, environmental activist and former Green Party VP nominee with Ralph Nader. I was really impressed by her and how she grouped growing corn in with other ways of changing the world. It's the little things that have the biggest impact if one sees all things as connected.

I think there are some changes that could be made for future Building Change conferences, and it will be interesting to see how the continuations committee keeps going with the Action Plan to Build Social Justice in SWPA. However, I think a lot of folks got a lot out of it, and it was a great experience for me to see the inner workings of conference planning, and more experience leading workshops and facilitating is always good. Visit www.buildingchangewpa.org to stay involved in the process.

The next Pittsburgh QUILTBAG/LGBTQA 5 year plan meeting is happening Nov. 5th from 12-2 at First Unitarian at 605 Morewood Ave. This will be a potluck, so please bring some snacks if you can. Facebook event page is here. There are still many questions about what we are doing, how and why--but shaping these things takes time. I hope we can get another surge in attendance like the first meeting. Email raydensorock [at] gmail [dot] com to get on the mailing list.

Apart from that, my final presentation is coming up--Nov. 18th! View the press release here. Please check out the Facebook event page here. We still have about $1500 to raise before then to meet our goal so if you have thought about donating--even $5 or $10--please consider making your donation now through PayPal or by check. Make out checks to Persad Center and put "ITL" in the memo line. Mail to 5150 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Thank you!

Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice

Registration now open for October conference

Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice

Registration is open for Three Rivers Community Foundation’s exciting social change conference, Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice. This three-day conference will address several key issues, including Disability rights, Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, LGBT rights, Peace and Human rights, Racial Justice, and Women, Youth, and Families.

There will be skill building workshops, panel discussions, community dialogues on core issues, an art show, a film festival, round table discussions, and inspiring speakers, including our key-note speaker, Winona LaDuke.

Building Change isn’t only a convergence of ideas and core issues. It’s also a convergence of grass roots organizers, activists, and participants from 10 Southwestern PA counties, including: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Green, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Building Change will run from October 13-15 at the Heinz History Center (1212 Smallman St, Strip District).

Ticket Prices:

Daily Tickets (Thurs-Sat): Sliding scale of $5-$10

Three-Day Convergence Pass (does not include nights): Sliding scale of $20 to $25

Thursday Evening Reception with Winona LaDuke: $25

Thursday and Friday Evening General Admission: $10

Film Festival Screening: Suggested donation of $5

All-Access Pass: $80

To learn more about the event mission and schedule, and how you can get involved visit:  www.buildingchangewpa.org

Pittsburgh's QUILTBAG Community 5 year Plan Meeting PART I

QUILTBAG: queer/questioning, unsure/undecided/unisex, intersex, lesbian, transgender/transsexual, bisexual, asexual/ally, gay/genderqueer

Event Background and Planning

So where did the idea to hold a 5-year-plan meeting come from anyway? The Initiative for Transgender Leadership was created to enable leadership and professional development for transgender youth in Pittsburgh.One of the goals of the fellowship is to create positive change in the community.

Furthermore, this October 13-15^th the Three Rivers Community Foundation will put on the first-ever Building Change: A Convergence on Social Justice conference [Registration is now open!], which will bring together community members to begin building a regional, cross-issue movement. One of the goals of the conference is to generate a community-generated Action Plan to build social justice movements in the region.

Additionally, on June 22^nd, representatives from organizations that serve the QUILTBAG community were invited to attend a workshop on “Creating a Successful Internship Program” with the Regional Internship Center (a program of Coro Pittsburgh). I led a discussion following the workshop on community assets and challenges, and how to create a better community through the use of successful internship programs. This conversation sparked interest for more group discussion on community issues.

Why not get started on creating an action plan for the QUILTBAG community? That way, our community can have something more complete to bring to the table at the conference. Generating these discussions also has a positive impact within the community: building coalitions, bringing community members into the same space to share ideas, creating a more comprehensive image of the community, etc.

More than 130 people were invited to the meeting to begin creating a 5 year plan for the QUILTBAG community. Invitees were encouraged to fill out a registration form that would give them an opportunity to RSVP as well as contribute ideas, even if they could not attend. Responses to “Top 3 Community Challenges” were added to a list that was available for attendees to draw ideas from.

Fifty-seven people attended the meeting at United Cerebral Palsy. Originally the meeting was to be held at the GLCC, but because of difficulties with the handicapped accessibility, it was decided to change the location.

Structure of the Meeting

            There was time for a mixer between 6:30 and 7pm and attendees could talk, schmooze, peruse fliers and resources, sign in, and eat snacks. The meeting itself ran from 7-9pm. Eight tables were set up with eight chairs for each. Markers and note-taking paper were provided.

            Etta C., Lizzie A. and I co-facilitated. Jessica M. provided ASL interpretation. Anne L. provided vegan/gluten-free/soy-free desserts. The meeting begun with introductions, a quick background, and setting the meeting ground rules (for example: speak from your own experience, notice who is talking and who isn’t). Attendees were asked to introduce themselves to the rest of their own tables to cut down on go-around time. Two shorter brainstorming activities generated ideas about what the QUILTBAG community is to us and where would we like it to be in 5 years. Participants were encouraged to think big. The longer activity asked participants to walk around and write down ideas on large paper based on central themes (generated by the registration forms). This was called a “Gallery Crawl”. After each activity, participants reported back to the group. At the end, we evaluated the meeting.