Mar152014
The work of DignityUSA on March 15, 2014 could have been sponsored by you. Click here for more information.DignityUSA works for respect and justice for people of all sexual orientations, genders, and gender identities—especially gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons—in the Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy, and support. -- DignityUSA Mission Statement
For many years I have served in various capacities within my local chapter, Dignity/Boston. There, I served as a member of the Board of Directors, a term as chapter vice president and two terms as chapter president. I loved the joys and challenges of supporting my local community. It wasn’t until I attended the 2009 DignityUSA Convention in San Francisco that I felt called to join the Board. I loved the Convention speakers, panels, sessions, and strong sense of community that I could feel permeating everything that weekend. It was my first Dignity convention and I was hooked!
“A man can kill with a knife of steel, with a gun, a bomb or a lance. But there's a new law, there’s a new law - a man can kill with a glance.”
Creating Change is perhaps the largest regular gathering of LGBT people in the entire nation. Each year, thousands of people come from all over the country to engage in several days of celebration, education, activism, and love. To paint you a picture of this year’s event: approximately 4000 LGBT professionals from organizations of all kinds come together to hear 4 plenary speakers and attended 390 workshops, training sessions, meetings, and events over 5 days. Attendance at this year’s event was the highest in the organization’s history.
So many themes emerged from the Creating Change conference hosted in Houston this year, and powerful words like “intersectional justice,” “vulnerability,” and “preferred pronouns” became the common tongue for over 4,000 attendees. The theme of our Dignity-sponsored workshop was about having “compassionate, courageous, and respectful conversations” with others, especially those among our fellow Catholics who are ambivalent about marriage equality for a variety of reasons. Joining me were Patrick Gordon, a young adult from Dignity/Twin Cities, and Jim Smith, Dignity/Twin Cities and Associate Director of DignityUSA.
The National Convention in Seattle will be July 2-5, 2015, just 16 months away. We are getting geared up and ready for you to join us.
On a visit to Dignity/Houston, I had the pleasure to see their President, Tierra Ortiz-Rodriguez, in action. What is somewhat unique about this chapter President is that Tierra is not Catholic. Her deep interest in the work of justice and her sense that humans are made for community, among other reasons, are what drew Tierra to the Catholic community. Tierra is also straight, and a strong ally to LGBT persons and families. Dignity’s mission to call the Church and society to fully embrace the dignity and equality of LGBT persons and families attracted her to Dignity/Houston (and before that, Dignity/Honolulu). Tierra works as an organizer at Houston’s LGBT community hub, the Montrose Center.
by Jim Smith
by José Luis Sánchez
Preregister here