Help keep the Center open. We need money to pay for Rent, utilities and other basic operating costs. The center has a monthly budget of five thousand dollars a month. We are asking everyone who wants to keep the doors open to make a monthly donation of at least ten dollars. If we can find five hundred people willing to give this minimum amount we will be able to meet our goal.
The Center’s Sunday night fundraiser at the Garden nightclub was a huge success. Between the donations at the door, the raffle and the silent auction the event raised just over 1,400 dollars. The money will help keep the Center doors open. It will pay for rent, utilities and other costs.
The Center would like to extended a huge thank you to all of the people who made the event possible, the performers (of course) the garden for providing it’ the space, the volunteers and all the donors.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie talks about the Center
Many within the gay community have written off Obama’s comments about repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) this year. Now Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced that he will lay the Pentagon’s plan for repealing the unpopular policy next Tuesday, at a Senate Committee hearing.
DADT prevents military officials from directly asking servicemen or women about their sexual orientation, but does not prevent the military from discharging gay servicemen and women. The policy, which was instituted over fifteen years ago, forces those members of LGBT community who wish to serve their country, to do so in silence. It has long been criticized by the gay community, and increasingly by members of the military command as well. High ranking Pentagon officials have complained, off the record, that it is a failed policy.
Now they may have their chance to speak more publicly. The plan laid out by Secretary Gates on Tuesday will not be ambitious. Speaking on CNN he said the Pentagon will move “very, very cautiously” in implementing the repeal. However, already the language is shifting from “if” the policy is repealed to “when”.
Martin Luther King once said, “The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.” For the many patriotic gay men and women who have served our country, and for those who still do, the arc of history is finally bending their direction.
Since the Center, a project of Equality Iowa, opened it’s door on June 1st, 2009 it has had an eventful history. It’s first six months have been in the words of director Sandy Volpalka “a learning experience.”
Over a thousand visitors have passed through the doors of the Center in it’s first six months. 300 have directly benefited from one to the Center’s many programs. The Center is host to five support groups; TransformationsIowa (for Transgendered people) SOFFA-Iowa (for friends and family of trans people) The Roundtable (women of color), Rainbow youth and allies (25yrs and younger) and a Bi support group.
The challenges facing the LGBT community are many and diverse. The staff and volunteers have been a direct resource for people in need on many issues. We have talked to people who were feeling suicidal, helped people relocate into healthier living places, provided space and computers to those needing to find new jobs, provided clothing to those in need and helped people access health care.
We have held a number of events as well. We held an alcohol free Halloween party, a Thanksgiving meal, and another holiday meal on New Years day. In October we honored the Transgender Day of Remembrance. It was the first time that this date has been honored in Des Moines Iowa. Governor Culver issued a proclamation for the event, and we were joined by Pauline Park, a noted Trans advocate from New York.
Thanks to the Center, two staff were able to go to the Equality Conference in St. Louis. Three members of TransformationsIowa were able to go to the Transohio conference.
None of this would have been possible without help. The center has logged 150 volunteer hours each month and 1,400 items have been donated. The center has received financial assistance from the Conlin Family foundation, Crossroads United Church of Christ in Indianola, and many individual donors.
Looking forward to 2010, the Center is dedicated to continuing it’s success. We have new groups starting, including a coming out group, a lesbian support group, a grief group, an elder’s group and men of color. We are co-sponsors of Equality: Red Blue, Purple and Lobby day on February 10th.
The center has several grant requests to help with funding. However it is not corporate funders that will keep the Center open, it is you. We need volunteers to do everything from keeping the doors open to planning and working at fundraisers and events. We need individuals to donate as well. Financial help is always welcome, and donations can be made online through our fiscal agent, Equality Iowa and Equalityiowa.org. Material donations of office supplies, clean used clothing for the clothing closet and other things can be brought down to the center at 1300 locust during business hours 12pm to 6pm Monday through Saturday.
Come check us out and help make 2010 the best year yet at the Center.
Click on this link to read a very informative report by People For the American Way on the virulent anti-GLBT politics of the far-right in our country. This report has been around a while, but can still help us understand better those who would undermine equality and freedom. Knowledge is power when it comes to dealing with hate politics in the public sphere.
Click here to watch video of comments by President Obama on June 29th, 2009, concerning criticisms of his administration’s slowness in pursuing LGBT rights. Courtesy of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Another relevant video from The Countdown With Keith Olbermann on MSNBC!
The American people believe in fairness and understand that employees should be judged on the merits, not on sexual orientation or gender identity. A January 2007 Hart Research poll found that six out of ten Americans support federal legislation to address workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Yet, today, it remains perfectly legal in 29 states to fire someone based simply on sexual orientation, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity.
In today’s difficult economy, no one should have to face the additional challenge of discrimination in the workplace. I urge you to support these common-sense protections and co-sponsor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act today.
I called Sen Charles Grassley today and asked Him to support as well as Co-Sponsor the Employment and Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). I URGE EVERYONE to call Sen Grassley’s office at (202) 224-3744 and ask him to support as well as Co-sponsor this Bill.
