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DignityUSA
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RETURN TO > 1999 > DATELINE
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DignityUSA DATELINE
November
1999
Volume 8, No. 11
Solidarity Sunday™ a Huge Success!
Thanks to all of the chapters and Dignitarians who made Solidarity Sunday 1999 such a huge success. A final count won't be available for several weeks, but from the data we already have, it appears that we are rapidly approaching our goal! Please let Bruce (solidaritysunday@dignityusa.org) know of your activities and card distribution data as soon as possible. Bishop Tom Gumbleton of Detroit sent the following letter: "Thanks for your recent letter. I've had a chance to read the materials you gave me in Denver [the syllabus], and they are very good. I am happy to support your efforts and to work to end hate crimes. We have our work cut out for us. Please keep me in your prayers. Peace, Tom Gumbleton".
Cox Participates in NLGJA Conference
DignityUSA
Executive Director Charles Cox represented DignityUSA at the eighth
annual National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) conference
in Atlanta, GA (September 16-19). The conference provided
DignityUSA the opportunity to meet with over 300 openly gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender journalists from around the country.
In meeting with the journalists, Cox was also able to direct reporters
to Dignity's local chapters so that when news stories come up, reporters
know where to go for local perspectives. In addition to meeting
with the reporters, Cox participated in the panel "Writing about Gays,
Religion and Spirituality." Moderated by Dignity/Boston member Chuck
Colbert, the panel discussed the coverage of gays and spirituality in
the media, especially in light of the ex-gay ads, as well as the increased
role spirituality is playing in the lives of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals,
and transgender persons. The other panelists included Christian
de la Huerta, author of Coming Out Spiritually: The Next Step; Dr. Mark
Jordan of Emory University; and Rhonda Smith
of the Washington Blade.
Janet Cerni: An Appreciation
Some nine years ago when long-time newsletter editor, Michael Bushek was finding it difficult to produce the national newsletter because of deteriorating health, a member of Dignity/San Francisco stepped into the breach. That person was Janet Cerni, who edited her last issue of this news monthly in October. Janet became the editor of the monthly Dateline when it was decided, after the national convention in 1991, that Dignity would have two communication organs, one quarterly and one monthly. She concurrently edited the Journal until 1994 when the present editor took the helm. Janet got her start on Pagemaker with the local chapter newsletter, Bridges, and made a natural transition to the national press when her best friend, Kevin Calegari, decided to run for the office of President in 1990. Over the years Janet worked with a number of different officers, always maintaining her high standards and working very hard to fill the two pages of the Dateline each month. All the members of Dignity owe Janet a debt of gratitude and wish her well on whatever she does to take up the slack in her free time now that she's no longer Dateline "editor-in-chief." Thanks Janet.
THANK YOU!
DignityUSA thanks Dignity/Washington for their recent gift of $1,250.00 and Dignity/Pittsburgh for their gift of $1,000. Special thanks to the Chicago Resource Center, Inc. for their $2,000 grant for Solidarity Sunday. We also gratefully acknowledge the continued support through tithing from Dignity/New England and Dignity Maine and from second collections taken at Dignity/Boston. Finally, we offer thanks to those of you who send gifts with your renewal of dues and to our many monthly contributors who have made a pledge to Dignity. If you or your chapter are interested in pledging or tithing to Dignity and would like more information, please call the office.
WORLD AIDS DAY 1999 - PLAN NOW
The theme for the 12th annual world AIDS day is ' listen, learn, live'. This theme reflects the fact that education is considered by many to be the most promising strategy for reducing the spread of HIV worldwide. We all need to listen learn and live. Raising awareness of AIDS and HIV is a very important part of world AIDS day. Fr. Tom, our national AIDS project director, says all of our chapters can make a huge difference in raising awareness of AIDS and HIV by talking about AIDS and HIV in prevention in and outside regular chapter events. The very least of which is to wear your red ribbon to show support on December 1. World AIDS day has a special place in the history of the AIDS pandemic. Since 1988, December 1 has been a day bringing messages of compassion, hope, solidarity and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world, north and south, east and west. Each year, it is the only international day of coordinated action against AIDS. By now every chapter should have received their 1999 planning guide. This is sent annually to chapters in a collaborative effort between the national AIDS task force of Dignity and the American association of world health. Has your chapter begun in its planning? Fr. Tom feels "Dignity can be a pro-active voice in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in the new millennium and it is simple things like world AIDS day programming at the chapter level that makes such a difference."
Check those checks!
The Board of Directors at its August meeting in Denver approved a motion authorizing the closing of our current membership account at Riggs Bank, and the opening of a new account at Adams National Bank. Chapters and regions must process any outstanding membership checks issued from Dignity's Riggs Bank account no later than Tuesday, November 30, 1999. If you have any questions regarding any checks your chapter or region may have outstanding, please contact the office as soon as possible.
Welcome to Chris VanHaight, our new Dateline editor/publisher.
Chris, a native of Boston, has been a member of Dignity/Boston for seven years. He has been active in his chapter in several areas. He currently serves as secretary, and has served as treasurer and chair of the liturgy committee. Chris and his partner, Marc, have been together for five years, and Chris is employed as the Operations Manager of a biotech company in the Boston area. Chris is excited about taking on the challenge of the Dateline. He said, "I've always wanted to do something for DignityUSA and I'm excited about this opportunity."
Dignity to Participate in 1999 Creating Change Conference
DignityUSA Executive Director Charles Cox and Vice President Pat McArron (San Diego) will be representing DignityUSA at the 1999 Creating Change Conference in Oakland, CA. The conference, November 11-14, and sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) brings together activists from around the country for four days of meetings and seminars. This year one of the major themes will be people of faith in the lesbian,gay, bisexual, and transgender community. DignityUSA's Charles Cox will be moderating the workshop entitled "Faith-based Social Activism and the LGBT Community." In addition to moderating his own panel, Charles has been invited to be one of the panelists at the plenary session discussing the role of faith in the LGBT community. Rev. Ken South will moderate the panel.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
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