Weekly Word - This Week: Pride Month and the Power of Grassroots

Submitted by jeremy on Wed, 2009-06-10 14:26

June 10, 2009 www.oneiowa.org

One Iowa Celebrates Pride Month

June is the month that our community and supporters show their pride and we celebrate with the joy of knowing that the freedom to marry is now available to committed gay and lesbian couples in Iowa. This month is a chance to celebrate all we have achieved and recognize those who have paved the way. In the months ahead, we'll need your help to protect our freedoms and work towards future advancements to protect all Iowans." Kick off your Pride weekend with One Iowa's Happy Hour! Join us Friday, June 12 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Dos Rios (316 Court Avenue, Des Moines). Please RSVP if you plan to attend! Join us as we celebrate this momentous year for Iowans at Pride celebrations across the state. For your efforts, you'll receive a free One Iowa shirt!

June 13th and 14th is Capital City Pride in Des Moines Help out during the Saturday night street party or the Sunday festival, or walk with us in the Pride Parade on Sunday at 1:00 pm. Sign up here! June 20th Iowa City Corridor Pride Festival Canvass the crowd or help at our booth for two-hour shifts during the events at Iowa City Upper City Park on Saturday from 2-6 pm. Sign up here! June 20th for the Omaha Pridefest If you're in Western Iowa, help for a two-hour shift at the Omaha Pridefest. Sign up here! June 27th in the Quad Cities During the last weekend of June, spend some time in Davenport with One Iowa for some Pridefest excitement! Sign up here!

Upcoming Events

June 11, 2009 6:00 PM Queer Youth Discussion Group First Meeting GEEZ Louise 515 28th St., Suite 106, Des Moines More information June 11, 2009 7:00 PM Clarence Page on Marriage Equality Iowa State Historical Building 600 E. Locust St., Des Moines June 12, 2009 5:00-7:00 PM One Iowa Happy Hour Dos Rios 316 Court Ave., Des Moines Click to RSVP June 13-14, 2009 Capital City Pride Events Click for more details Volunteer with One Iowa June 19, 4:30 pm-10:00 pm Iowa Cubs Night with One Iowa Planned Parenthood Young Leaders, and the 21st Century Forum Click for details and to RSVP June 19, 6 PM PRIDE Patio Party at the Sheraton Hotel 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City June 20, 2009 Omaha Pridefest Lewis & Clark Landing 515 N. Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE Volunteer with One Iowa June 20, 2009 Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Corridor Pride Upper City Park, Shelter 3 200 W Park Rd, Iowa City Volunteer with One Iowa June 21, 2009 2:00-4:00 PM Interfaith & Affirming Churches Picnic LeClaire Park, Beiderbeck Dr, Davenport, IA June 21, 2009 4:00 PM Colors Across the River for Equality (CARE) Centennial Bridge over Mississippi River Join 500 LGBT and ally Quad Citians as they hold 1000 PRIDE flags across the bridge. Participation in the event is free and you can keep your rainbow PRIDE flag for just $5. Contact Rich Hendricks with questions at richdhendricks@msn.com June 27, 2009 Quad Cities Pride LeClaire Park Beiderbeck Dr., Davenport Volunteer with One Iowa

Power Summit and Summer Canvass Aim to Build Grassroots!

On Saturday May 30th, approximately 40 volunteer leaders from across the state gathered in Des Moines to share their organizing experiences and learn how to apply new grassroots organizing tools. The goal of the summit was to empower local volunteers to better organize their communities and identify new supporters of equality. Attendees were given a campaign update from Brad Clark and former legislator Tom Jochum, followed by a series of training sessions ranging from grassroots messaging to canvassing a neighborhood.

Matt Skuya Deputy Field Director

If you weren't able to make it, but still want to organize in your local community, please email organize@oneiowa.org and a member of our organizing team will contact you and help you get involved! I also want to welcome to some new additions to the One Iowa team. Last week, our team of summer canvassers set out to identify supporters of marriage equality across the state. The team of canvassers will supplement our planned volunteer canvass efforts this summer.

These efforts are vital to show support for marriage equality statewide and to protect our fair-minded legislators! Please donate today to help us support these canvassers!

ONE IOWA IS HIRING!

We're adding to our team of dedicated employees. Do you have the skills and passion we're looking for? One Iowa is now hiring for the following positions. To apply, please follow the instructions on the job posting(s) of your choice. No calls please. Field Director Regional Field Organizer Communications/New Media Organizer Development Associate

ONE IOWA SUPER VOLUNTEER

Want to make a difference and meet great people while doing it? Simply give a few hours of your time a week to the cause, and you too may find yourself being named a One Iowa Super Volunteer! Take it from this week's super volunteer, Nick Tormey.

Nick Tormey Nick Tormey from Des Moines enjoys volunteering with One Iowa, calling it an "excellent organization that has done much to promote equality in Iowa." Tormey is a 70 year old therapist, who specializes in human sexuality issues. He says that now that Iowa has achieved marriage equality, "we have to do all that we can to keep it." Tormey frequently shows up to help at One Iowa phone banks and has attended many one Iowa events. One Iowa Regional Organizer Felipe Gallardo describes Tormey as "one of our most consistent and passionate volunteers." As this week's One Iowa Super Volunteer, Nick Tormey, we salute you!

ONE IOWA VIDEO CONTEST WINNER

One Iowa is pleased to announce the winner of it's video contest, announced shortly after the historic Supreme Court decision. Congratulations to W. Scott Lincoln and the team from Delta Lambda Phi for the winning entry and thanks to all who participated!

See it now!

High School Students: Take the Iowa Pride Network's 2008-2009 School Climate Survey!

EXTREME RIGHT WATCH: THEY'LL STOP AT NOTHING

An Early Look at Potential GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Field lacks any pro-equality candidates

As reported in the Iowa Independent WHO radio host Steve Deace is profiling potential GOP candidates for Governor this week. Noticeably missing in the slate of potential candidates is a pro-equality candidate. At a time when Republicans are trying their best to attract new voters, does it amount to "building a new machine to sell old ideas?" More on the four potential candidates:

WHO Radio's Steve Deace

Jeff Lamberti, Former State Senator In 2005 referred to Lambda Legal's historic legal case Varnum v. Brien as a "direct attack on Iowa law," that brought "new urgency" to amend the Iowa Constitution to deny marriage to gay and lesbian couples. Paul McKinley, Senate Minority Leader While heading the Senate's attempt to undermine the Supreme Court's unanimous decision McKinley disparingly referred to the Justices as "seven elites" and failed at four different attempts to undermine the Court's ruling. Christopher Rants, former Speaker of the House In a move to undermine the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling, Rep. Rants tried to gut the Health and Human Services budget to include an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would have denied marriage to gay couples. Gutting vital services to deny protections to gay families - is that "family values?" Bob Vander Plaats, Sioux City Businessman Showing a lack of understanding of how democracy works, Vander Plaats implied that Governor Culver could issue an executive order to defy the Supreme Court's ruling and deny marriage equality to gay couples and has even pledged to do so if he's elected as governor.

GET INVOLVED: MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Volunteer for One Iowa at Pride events around the state! Click on the Pride at which you wish to volunteer to sign up: June 14: Capital City Pride June 20: Omaha Pridefest June 20: Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Corridor Pride June 27: Quad Cities Pride Phone for Equality! Join One Iowa for one of our nightly phone banks Sunday through Thursday. Never phoned before? No problem - our staff will give you all the tools you need to succeed and spread our message of equality! Sign up for a shift now!

In the News

June 3 Ottumwa Courier Letter: Reject attempts to amend the Iowa Constitution When the state of Iowa is still reeling with disastrous floods, a budget shortfall and families are struggling just to put food on the table, let?s continue to focus on issues of common concern. June 8 Ottumwa Courier Letter: Civil rights for all isn't a threat to moral fabric The recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires that such marriages now being performed in Iowa will be subject to the same civil recognition as the ?traditional marriages? that Rev. Tanner wants to preserve. The ruling grants the civil rights for Iowans to marry the person they choose. June 4 Associated Press: In NH and Iowa, Gay Marriage Has Political Angle Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally offer presidential candidates vastly different political landscapes when they seek their party nominations. Yet legalizing gay marriage, as both states have now done, is unlikely to have much impact in 2012 because of party dynamics and the different emphasis voters place on social issues. June 9 Des Moines Juice: Iowa's Pride: How a historic court ruling changed the lives of local same-sex couples Iowa has a history of leadership on equal rights - the state was one of the first to allow interracial marriages, and admitted women to the bar association years before the rest of the country - but the April 3 ruling sent shock waves through politics in the state and beyond. *We want to know what you're reading! If you see an Iowa-related LGBT news item in your local newspaper, please forward it to justin@one-iowa.org.