After you sign up, make sure to change your profile settings to show your name (thanks Shauna). We want to see who you are! Regardless of when we go back to ballot, the work needs to start now. Please support your community and join our team and our efforts.
Visalia Equality Team (VET) Kickoff Mixer
June 18th at 5:30, ACT Building, 211 N. Stevensen St. Visalia
The following are some of my favorite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. Now, some might say I’m being manipulative to set you into action. Yeah, you might be right! hee hee
"To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it."
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
A group of our warriors took to the city council on Tuesday to let their voices be heard! They spoke out against the bigotry they face from the city council in Porterville.
Here are some articles about what they accomplished:
Do you want to come and join us in the parade and represent Gay Visalia? We would love to have you! The parade starts and 10:00 am at the corners of Olive & Palm in Fresno. If you want to be with us, come around 9:00-9:30. We would also love to have volunteers help out with our booth and interact with the crowd. Contact us for more information!
This movie is a great light comedy of attraction, awkwardness of dating and getting to know each other, gay or straight.
"4 friends – 3 guys – 2 couples… you do the math”
I loved how it gives you a sense of rollercoaster context, you want to root for the under dog but you want to choke the under dog to give up and cut his losses and search else where. It also can make for a fun date movie or a night in with your partner and a bowl of popcorn.
A contemporary romantic comedy about the universal for that one true love, All Over the Guy, centers on an unlikely pair of two twenty-somethings, Eli (Dan Bucantinsky) and Tom (Richard Ruccolo), who are thrown together by respective best friends. They do everything they can to not fall for each other, but ultimately it’s in the small moments of truth – the talk among trusted friends and the fear between new lovers- that the two ultimately find their way to a love that will last.
Special appearances by Andrea Martin—Joanna Kerns—Christina Ricci
My partner Joshua Ross and I were the first couple to arrive in the sign in station for
Selma
carpool. The group there was very kind, supportive and welcoming as we walked up to the booth. Everyone as they arrived was very friendly and accepting of us although we all had never met before. As we carpooled to
Selma
the group we traveled with was very anxious to get there although we were all still a little half asleep.
At the pep rally, Joshua and I found the speakers to be very motivational and emotionally moving. A few moments we found ourselves choking back on our tears of joy and inspiration. The unity of love, faith and hope that our efforts can and will make a difference at a pivotal point for history.
During the walk Joshua felt that with each step he was becoming more involved in history in the making. He felt as though he was reliving history with the spiritual presence of other civil rights leaders. I was very transfixed on making each step echo with the voices of others unable to be present at the march. I was very emotionally charged with holding Joshua’s hand in moments of the Medias’ presence to display our unashamed love and commitment to each other. There was some opposition but only a handful and it was very insignificant; such a train engineer gave us thumbs down as it passed blaring its horn, a man in a black truck had driven past us in same direction with a Yes on 8 sign roped to his truck bed door. As we past warehouses in
Fresno
a man with a bullhorn got religious on us as we passed him by chanting.
Walking under the
Fresno
sign at Van Ness Ave, we found our second wind and the extra burst of energy well up from the inner depths of our being to make it through to City Hall. Once we were greeted by the enormous welcome applause of gratitude and appreciation, we found more power and strength in our weakened voices to shout out loud our chants for a better tomorrow.
After the completion of the walk we were greeted by complete strangers and given greetings of; “Congratulations” and “Job well done.” We felt very energetically charged through out the rest of the day although we were battling fatigue to the max. We feel that in our involvement as a couple it solidified our union as a committed gay couple; in the hopes of one day becoming a legalized married couple in our great State of
California
.
When we got to my car to head back home we found a fake $1000.00 bill with religious writing on it and my antennae was bent outward as if someone tried to break it off and since it was too difficult left it bent past passenger fender. I believe that this was in retaliation of what I had put on my rear window, “Marriage 4 ALL ! !” with all gender symbols M/W, W/W, M/M. Me and Joshua traveled on Highway 99 from Tulare to Fresno for rally, back to Tulare and back to Fresno with this on my window the whole time through out the weekend.
I had read this book and found that Being neighbors to a straight couple and certain boundaries can feel like they have been possibly crossed not only may exist in Ca, but in Florida as well as any other place. I used to live with my ex of 3 years and the rest of the families around us were straight. I used to get the look from the women like I was wearing a scarlet letter and they had to keep an eye on me, (although little did they know I was the top). The men would look at my ex as though he was going to make a play for the wives, (little did they know he was the bottom). Although we had many attempts to befriend and ease the tension the invisible walls stayed up. So what if the barriers had been crossed? Reading this story gave me a glimpse of what could have happened not only to each person in the relationship but to each person as an individual. Check this out!
His acclaimed breakout novel, Back Where he Started, Jay Quinn thrilled and surprised readers with his portrait of a middle-aged gay man who suddenly finds himself single and seeking out a new life, and if possible, a new love. Quinn continues his themes of love and need and of wanting to belong, with this revealing, cautionary tale of the best friends and even more, best of neighbors.
On a sunny block inside the exclusive neighborhood of Venetian Vistas, Rory Fallon is walking his dog when he notices activity at the house next door. New neighbors are moving in, namely the Hardens-Austin and his wife, Meg, along with their two kids. Rory introduces himself, and can’t help but notice how intrigued
Austin
is when it is mentioned just who Rory lives with: his partner of many years, handsome Bruno Griffin. Indeed, the last thing
Austin
expected in this small
Florida
enclave was having a gay couple for neighbors.
But life has more surprises in store, for both Rory and Austin, and Bruno and Meg. As the two couples form a strange, sometimes symbiotic relationship, questions arise about love and about marriage, and how their own roles help define-and alter- the people around them. A modern-day Scenes from a Marriage, Jay Quinn’s The Good Neighbor not only reflects our changing social fabric, but sheds light on the fact that fences exist for a reason, and that when you cross over them the consequences can often have confounding results.
“Jay Quinn is… a deft story teller. The story is warm, inviting and thoroughly satisfying.” –
New York
Blade
“A gorgeous celebration of ove and family. Beautifully touches and lifts the heart.” – Paul Russell, author of The Coming Storm
Come join us as we work toward meeting our fundraising goal. Fundraising is one of the most important aspects we must pay attention to if we intend to keep the equality movement propelled.
This vital event will take place on Saturday June 27th in the Downtown Galleria from 2pm-4pm located at 2405 Capitol St.
The fundraising goal is to raise $5000 to aid The Courage Campaign in funding Camp Courage events. The Courage Campaign is an online organizing network that empowers grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and equality in California. Courage Campaign created an equality program known as Camp Courage. Their goal is to build a grassroots army for marriage equality. The camp is an intense two-day training to teach the principles and skills of community organizing to activists working to restore marriage equality to California. It teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills.
Teazer’s in the Galleria will be donating a percentage of their proceeds during the event. There will also be appetizers, informational booths, music, and inspiring speakers. This event is a must if you’ve been wondering how you can help marriage equality, or what groups you can volunteer with, or if you just want to escape the Valley heat have some iced tea and a good time.
If you are a member of an organization that is in support of marriage equality and would like to promote your cause your participation is more than welcome. For more information about having an informational booth at the event please call (559) 824-1143 or email desyrod84@yahoo.com.
As all of you know, yesterday's Prop 8 ruling did not go so well. We are going to have to hit the streets again soon.
Like NOW.
As most of you may know, the Porterville City Council was complicit above and beyond its First Amendment responsibilities in using City Resources to campaign for Prop 8. Under the cover of darkness, they passed a resolution urging
Portervillians to vote in favor of Prop 8.
Once the word got out, we filled the next City Council meeting with speaker after speaker during the public comment hearing to force them to listen to hours of individual testimonies about how their hate mongering hurt real live people.
Now the roosters have come home to roost. The next meeting is this coming Tuesday June 2, 2009 at 6PM at City Hall on Main Street in Porterville, and you are needed to put a human face on tthe issue again.
This is true, whether you live in Porterville or not. If you work here, if you shop here, if you went to school here, if your friend or family did any of these things, or if you think you ever might, you are affected by what has been done by the Council AND THEY NEED TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN BE SURE THE PRO-H8-ERS IN TOWN WILL BE OUT IN FORCE THANKING THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR "BRAVE AND PRINCIPLED AND CORRECT STAND".
Do not let that be the majority voice the Council will hear!!!!
***
Let Fury Rule the Hour
Anger Can Be Power
Do You Know that You Can Use It?
***
Who is invited: Everyone, gay, straight, friends, family. anyone who understands the number one principle about America is that we don't take affirmed rights away from people, not at all, and especially not because of a majority vote in a single election.
Age: 6-100
When: 7PM, 6PM if you need public speaking coaching
Where: Porterville City Hall, Main Street
What: Speak for up to 3-5 minutes before Porterville City Council about how having your rights, or your loved one's rights, taken away, or potentially taken away, and how it hurts Porterville as a City when our Council propagates hate under the guise of official government business.
You can speak for 15 seconds of until they cut you off, I don't care, but I want as many people as possible to show up and speak, I want to see at least 100 people, whether they are from PFLAG, local gay straight alliances, whoever, wherever.
I especially want to see at least 50 high school sophmores, juniors, and seniors, who were not old enough to vote last time, but will be by November 2010 or November 2012.
How it works: After the pledge of allegiance, the Mayor will say that there is no an open comment period if anyone has anything to explain. One by one, until there are no more, everyone can go up, state their name and hometown (some people give their street address, but I don't and it is not necessary), and then they speak from the heart. You can use notes or read what you have to say if it helps.
The Coucil members are supposed to only listen and not make comments in return. Tell them how you feel! Do not hold back!
After the comments, Council will conduct its regular meeting. There is another open comment period and everyone can speak again. In theory they can cut people off around 11 and adjourn the meeting, but I think politically that would be unwise for them to do if a lot of people are waiting to speak.
I would like everyone to stay until the 2nd comment period and speak again on what occurred to you while you heard the others speak.
I know it will be late, and I know you have to go to school or work in the morning. But fighting for your rights is hard work, and sometimes that means staying up late and missing a bit of sleep!
You need not be out to make comments, and you will not be outing yourself by speaking.
You may be nervous or scared, this is natural. No matter how shy you are, you can do it. Even if your entire speech is "I am (your name), a voting citizen of Porterville, and what you have done is wrong", that is enough!
If you are nervous, I will personally coach you through it. There is a gazebo directly across the street from City Hall, I will be there by 6PM. Let's all meet there, and let me know if you need encouragement. If you can get yourself there, I will get you through your comments, that is my promise to you!
Why: Goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway.
California now has 3 classes of people where there should be 1:
- People who can marry their loved ones anytime
- People who can never marry their loved ones on the basis of being homsexual
- People who are already married, but because they are homosexual, should they become single again through either divorce or death of spouse, can never marry again
In addition, we have learned, that in California, the rights of *any* minority exist only so long so dudes with a clipboard don;'t think working for minimum wage to collect signatures on a ballot measure to take them away is a good use of their time. It was a good enough use of their time last year though, and it will be again - times are tough!
Value: If yesterday;s news has not completely radicalized you, attending this meeting will. Democracy means face to face discussions, and this is the way to do it.
Directions: 65 N or S to Henderson Avenue exit, heading EAST. About 1 mile to Main Street, turn right. About 4/4 mile on right is City Hall, just past Bank of America.
Do not take this sitting down!
***
No man born with a living soul
Can be working for the clampdown
The voices in your head are calling
Stop wasting your time, there's nothing coming
Only a fool would think someone could save you
The men at the factory are old and cunning
You don't owe nothing, so boy get runnin'
It's the best years of your life they want to steal
Look at how many times Harvey Milk ran for office. He never gave up hope, even when people called him dumb for trying over and over again to get what he wanted. Some people even said "Hey Harvey, you going to win this time?" The same will hold true for us when we go back to the ballot box! But hopefully we can do it on this second try and get it done!
hey my name is Jessica and i was a fellow supporter at yesterdays rally in Visalia, it was actually my first rally out here and i got to say how moved i was, i mean i have been a lesbian for twenty years and have supported in many other ways but to actually be here to hear different struggles and to know that there is hope after all for small towns.. I think that this is exactly where we need to start letting people know were here and were not going anywhere.. Open minds, most people out here don't even know what a gay is. I just wanted to say thank you, to you and your organization and ever other person who was out there who spoke or just showed up. You are amazing people with hearts of gold, there is a rainbow with you at the end of it.. This fight is long from over but with people like you well i know we shall win. I have never felt such hope, ambition, aspiration like i did last night... Your dream of utopia is so close.. However i can help, like they said door to door, phoning, anything let me know i would be more than honored to contribute...
Thank you so much for time and thank you so much for what you are doing and are going to do....
MEET IN THE MIDDLE - This Weekend In The Central Valley
Written by Chris Jarvis
Thursday, 28 May 2009
There's a big weekend coming up. The Central Valley doesn't see this kind of weekend very often. We will be the focus of a lot of media attention and we'll have a lot of opportunities to SPEAK OUT about the California Supreme Court Decision to uphold Prop 8. We can also LISTEN, LEARN, SHARE, CONTRIBUTE, CO-OPERATE & HAVE A GOOD TIME...
Contact: N. E. Francis
(209) 251-9894 ArtExaminer@comcast.net
STRAIGHT CALIFORNIA NEWS REPORTER TO WRITE 30 DAYS OF LGBT STORIES TO PROTEST PROP 8
May 26, 2009: When N. E. Francis, an arts and entertainment reporter based in Sacramento, California, recently lost three-fourths of her online readers after writing LGBT stories, the frustrated reporter realized that gay-themed articles were costing her money and readership. So Francis decided to do something she has never seen done by a non-LGBT reporter before: beginning June 1, she will write 30 days of gay and lesbian A&E articles to combat homophobia in the media.
“I couldn’t believe that my readers would abandon my stories if they featured gay or lesbian artists. I really thought that Americans, Californians especially, were more tolerant than that,” says Francis. “So I determined that in June, Gay Pride month, I would write at least one LGBT arts and entertainment article per day. My hope is that by covering the LGBT art community for one whole month that my readers will become more open-minded and accepting of the gay community.”
Francis, who is the Arts and Entertainment Reporter for Examiner.com/Sacramento and is paid by her articles’ online traffic, not per story written, realizes that covering the LGBT arts community may cost her money and even more readership. “I don’t care if I don’t make a penny all month. I just really believe that America is ready for mainstream gay and lesbian stories. It’s time for us to put aside our differences and prejudices and come together as a nation of loving and tolerant citizens.”
Francis is currently looking for gay and lesbian artists and entertainers to feature in her June articles. For more information, contact N. E. Francis at ArtExaminer@comcast.net.
Here is a snippet of the announcement. Find out more by clicking on the links below! Let's be fearless together!
"Fearless" means airing TV ads that proudly portray the people whose lives are on the line. It means changing hearts, not just minds.
That's why, due to your AMAZING financial support, the Courage Campaign is hitting the California airwaves tonight with a new 60-second TV ad version of "Fidelity" -- the heartbreaking online video we launched in February. Viewed more than 1.2 million times, the original "Fidelity" is the most-watched video ever in the history of California politics.
Can you help us change as many hearts as possible by sharing the new "Fidelity" ad with your friends? Right now, it's the #7 most-watched video in the "News and Politics" section of YouTube. You can make it #1 by watching it right now and sending it to your friends ASAP:
With recent polling showing Californians deeply divided on supporting same-sex marriage, it will take an unprecedented people-powered campaign that organizes online -- and on the ground -- to win back marriage equality.
So, join us in being fearless for equality. We can't win without you.
I am amazed by the wonderful people who came and supported our community tonight, gay and straight alike. I will post more tomorrow when I can catch my breath and collect my thoughts. Thank you to everyone!
Through tears and heartache we struggle with the questions of how and why
We stand here not knowing if we have what it takes to give it another try
I ask each of you to take some time to mourn and then to find your inner peace
This chapter is closed but our story is still being written with every strike of the keys
That, which does not kill us, only makes us stronger
We need to fight back and be silent no longer
We cannot accept this as defeat; we must forge ahead without falter
Until every man and every woman can join together at the alter
The next leg of our journey is about to begin
There is much to be done before 2010
Believe in yourselves, that you can make a difference, you are able and ready
Take comfort in knowing that you have a friends hand to help keep you steady
I’m offering you my blood, sweat and tears
My reassuring smile to help ease your fears
I will be with you each step of the way
To be your support if you happen to sway
United we stand, divided we fall
Let us work together to ensure equality for all
Harvey Milk always said, “Never blend in” and “I’m here to recruit you”
Those are wise words and exactly what we must do
We need to recruit our army, prepare and gather the masses
It's about time we kick some homophobic asses
This next campaign will be won through human connections, not wealth
We need to start building those bridges and share our stories of self
Your voices are powerful so use them to promote
Now get out there warriors and let’s repeal this vote!
Please plan on showing up a little early to D-Day tonight. Channel 30 wants to go live at 6:00 pm so we will be starting right on time! Come earlier if you would be willing to do an interview.
This is the time to let our voices be heard and our strength be shown. This battle has ended, but the fight is far from over!
Please remember to be respectful with your anger. We need to reach out to the community, not push them away. Thank you for your cooperation.
