Feature Story:
Bob Summersgill From childhood, when his father took him to Cape Canaveral to watch the last manned moon launch in 1972, to college when he served as president of the D.C. chapter of Students for the Exploration and the Development of Space, Bob Summersgill had an eye on the cosmos. His short-term cynicism, however, brought him back to earth.
"There just wasn't a future in it," says the 44-year-old. "I'm optimistic for the long term, I'm very cynical and pessimistic for the short term.... I wasn’t going to get to space by getting involved with this stuff. I want to be in a movement that's moving. I want to do things that actually result in some tangible change."
Summersgill did just that, turning his sights on moving legislation through the D.C. City Council, incrementally empowering the city's domestic-partnership laws. As a hobby, he's worked largely behind the scenes for years, crafting legislation, testifying and working with Council members to get GLBT Washingtonians to where they are today, with possibly the strongest partnership law in the country. He's also served as president of the local Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (2000-2003), was named a Capital Pride Hero (2008), and has advocated for the transgender and intersex communities with the D.C. Office for Human Rights. That's, of course, when we wasn't fighting for a smoke-free D.C. or planting trees as a "citizen forester" with the nonprofit Casey Trees. ...more
Bob Summersgill From childhood, when his father took him to Cape Canaveral to watch the last manned moon launch in 1972, to college when he served as president of the D.C. chapter of Students for the Exploration and the Development of Space, Bob Summersgill had an eye on the cosmos. His short-term cynicism, however, brought him back to earth.
"There just wasn't a future in it," says the 44-year-old. "I'm optimistic for the long term, I'm very cynical and pessimistic for the short term.... I wasn’t going to get to space by getting involved with this stuff. I want to be in a movement that's moving. I want to do things that actually result in some tangible change."
Summersgill did just that, turning his sights on moving legislation through the D.C. City Council, incrementally empowering the city's domestic-partnership laws. As a hobby, he's worked largely behind the scenes for years, crafting legislation, testifying and working with Council members to get GLBT Washingtonians to where they are today, with possibly the strongest partnership law in the country. He's also served as president of the local Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (2000-2003), was named a Capital Pride Hero (2008), and has advocated for the transgender and intersex communities with the D.C. Office for Human Rights. That's, of course, when we wasn't fighting for a smoke-free D.C. or planting trees as a "citizen forester" with the nonprofit Casey Trees. ...more
Gauge: The good news came in June. The bad news followed in July. Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) needs to find ways to close a projected budget gap of approximately $6 million, and The Center, D.C.'s GLBT community center, is being asked to take a dramatic hit -- following the budgeting of new funding that would have taken The Center to the next level.
While The Center cuts are just one component of a very broad fiscal strategy, there is a fear that the GLBT community is being asked to make a disproportionately large and, some argue, a possibly fatal sacrifice to its community center.
"It is important to note that these monies are not supplemental funding, but are core to The DC Center's functional operations and absolutely essential to its survival," offered Pat Hawkins, a member of The Center's board and a licensed clinical social worker and clinical psychologist, who has worked in the community for decades, in testimony delivered at a July 24 Committee of the Whole public oversight hearing. ...more
While The Center cuts are just one component of a very broad fiscal strategy, there is a fear that the GLBT community is being asked to make a disproportionately large and, some argue, a possibly fatal sacrifice to its community center.
"It is important to note that these monies are not supplemental funding, but are core to The DC Center's functional operations and absolutely essential to its survival," offered Pat Hawkins, a member of The Center's board and a licensed clinical social worker and clinical psychologist, who has worked in the community for decades, in testimony delivered at a July 24 Committee of the Whole public oversight hearing. ...more
Gauge: There’s a ticking time bomb on the Equality Across America Web site. At least, that's how some local activists, like Michael Crawford, might view the live countdown to the National LGBT Equality March, slated for Sunday, Oct. 11, in Washington.
Cleve Jones, gay pioneer Harvey Milk’s protégé, called for the 2009 march while speaking at a Utah Pride event June 7. It was then that Jones, also the founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, kicked off a four-and-a-half month countdown to an event aiming to bring GLBT activists and allies from across to country to the nation's capital.
Kellan Barker
(Photo by Ward Morrison/file photo) Equality Across America (EAA) is the umbrella organization that is currently being built by the event's steering committee to manage the march. ...more
Cleve Jones, gay pioneer Harvey Milk’s protégé, called for the 2009 march while speaking at a Utah Pride event June 7. It was then that Jones, also the founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, kicked off a four-and-a-half month countdown to an event aiming to bring GLBT activists and allies from across to country to the nation's capital.
Kellan Barker
(Photo by Ward Morrison/file photo) Equality Across America (EAA) is the umbrella organization that is currently being built by the event's steering committee to manage the march. ...more
By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington BladeSen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, marking the first time a trans-inclusive version of the bill has been introduced in that chamber.
Merkley put forth the legislation as lead sponsor.
Merkley is a member of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, which would hold hearings on the legislation and fine-tune the bill before it reaches the Senate floor.
Check the Blade's web site later today for updates and an interview with Merkley.
...
MILLVILLE (AP)A New Jersey city has agreed to pay a former police officer $415,000 to settle a lawsuit he filed claiming other officers harassed him because he is gay.
As part of the deal, Robert Colle has resigned from the Millville police force. He had been on leave since August 2007.
Colle su ed in October 2007, claiming he was ridiculed by the man who was then chief and other officers because he's gay.
He said city officials ignored his harassment complaints.
He also said officers refused to back him up when he was dealing with a disorderly woman. According to his legal filings, the woman b ...
NEW YORK (AP)Financial problems are threatening to silence the New York City Gay Men's Chorus.
Chorus officials say donations have declined while production costs have increased.
The group hopes to raise $500,000 so it can perform when the new season begins in September.
It's launching a campaign and enlisting help from elected officials, gay and lesbian leaders and celebrities. Its 200-plus members also are soliciting personal donations.
The chorus, started in 19 ...
Two men are protesting New York's ban on gay marriage by creating a gay wedding chapel
Opponents of gay partner benefits create a stir in El Paso, Texas
Long-time gay rights activist David Mixner has been hospitalized
To continue reading, please visit www.sovo.com
To continue reading, please visit www.sovo.com
To continue reading, please visit www.sovo.com
www.GayTalkRadio.org
No comments:
Post a Comment