Gay Programs Office Welcomes New Staff
FROM THE GRASSROOTS
Gay Programs Office Welcomes New Staff
The Lesbian-Gay Male Programs Office is happy to welcome four new staff persons: Natasha Raymond and Camille Brewer will be co-coordinating women's programs until September; Ryan Bradley is serving as male Co-Coordinator of Educational Outreach Programming; and Andrea Constancio is our new Office Assistant in charge of reception, accounting, and coordinating LGMPO office volunteers. We are looking forward to working with these skilled and dedicated people.
While the Women's Co-Coordinator position of the Lesbian-Gay Male Programs Office has been temporarily filled, we must always look to the future. A search committee for a permanent staff member must be formed and the selection process must be initiated.
As we saw in Washington D.C., lesbians, bisexual people, and gay men come from all walks of life and all points on the the map. We trust that a national search will be conducted to find the best possible woman to fill that position. The local area certainly has its share of talented and qualified people, but in order to best serve the community, we must look across the country. We must have faith that the University of Michigan will realize the importance of a national search, and will respect our entitlement to be involved in the process.
As we face ballot-initiative measures that seek to deprive us of our civil rights, it becomes more important than ever that we rally together to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 - a landmark event in our liberation movement. Please note in the Calendar the events planned for June 25, 26, and 27 - a local rally, a picnic, and a March/Rally/Festival in Lansing.
In particular response to the ballot initiative concern, try to attend the June 12 meeting of the Coalition of the Michigan Campaign for Human Dignity. The Coalition is planning a Speakers Bureau as part of its outreach efforts to counteract the uninformed and prejudiced statements made about our constituency by the Michigan Family Values Committee, the group coordinating the anti-gay ballot initiative.
In contrast to the ballot initiative, State Rep. David Hollister is sponsoring legislation that would add "sexual minorities" to the list of classes protected by the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. It is good to have his support, as well as that of State Rep. Lynn Rivers (53rd District). (It was inspiring to see Lynn and thousands of other present and past "Michiganians" at the March on Washington, and to note that women were sitting in the "Presidents' Pew" at St. John's Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square at Sunday morning service.)
Special thanks to Huron Valley Community Church for organizing the bus transportation to the March!
Gay Liberation Front's Purpose is to provide information, counseling, and related social services for people concerned about sexual orientation. We maintain a holline for crisis intervention, peer counseling and referral. We help provide factual information to offset prejudice and misinformation about Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people. We work to obtain human and civil rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation. We help organize groups for Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people and are a link to other community groups.
Community Services include: a Hotline for crisis intervention, peer counseling, referral. Education: workshops and conferences on concerns of Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people with an emphasis on how people in the "helping professions" and "teaching professions" can work positively with clients, patients, & students who are Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people. Speakers Bureau: phone for information. Human & Civil Rights: information and referral to help people who are being discriminated against because of their actual or presumed sexual orientation or because of their presumed "cross-gender" characteristics; lobbying for human and civil rights. Community Organization and Liaison: information and assistance in organizing groups, setting goals, addressing conflict, linking with other groups and resources.
Gay Liberation Front Meetings vary according to purpose; we do most of our work in subcommittees (counseling, groupwork, education, civil rights). Call for time and place. Gay Liberation Front includes U-M students, staff, faculty and people from the larger communities. We have a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. We're a registered non-profit organization.
Gay Liberation Front, 4117 Michigan Union, 530 S. State, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1349; 763-4186.