VA Pride Date Auction 2010
Don’t forget tomorrow night, 7pm at Nations. VA Pride Date Auction 2010 to benefit the VA Pride Scholarship Fund.
Lots of great dates and restaurants. Preview the dates on our Facebook page.
See you there!
We are Virginia Tech
On this special day of mourning and remembrance for those who lost their lives at Virginia Tech, Virginia Pride is proud to say we are all Hokies today. We stand behind all who fight for justice and peace against those who would try to take our rights and liberties from us and affirm our commitment to celebrating life.
VA Pride Commitment
In light of the recent events here in Richmond, VA Pride would like to restate our commitment to Virginia’s LGBT community and to the great establishments who support all Virginians. Our community is large, proud, united and extremely loyal to the many gay-friendly businesses across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VA Pride will continue to actively support those forward-thinking businesses who serve as a model of inclusiveness and equality and who recognize the true value and basic humanity in respecting the diverse nature of all Virginians.
Board Meeting Date Change
Due to the conflict with Easter, the April Board of Directors meeting has been moved to Sunday, April 11th. Time and place are unchanged, 2pm in the Gay Community Center of Richmond classroom.
As always, the board meetings are open the public. Thank you
Richmond’s LGBT Community Rallies Around Targets of Westboro Baptist Churc
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
February 26, 2010
Gregg Johnson, Director of Development and Marketing
Gay Community Center of Richmond gjohnson@gayrichmond.com
804-622-4646
Richmond’s LGBT Community Rallies Around Targets of Westboro Baptist Church
Representatives of numerous LGBT and faith organizations met Friday at the Gay Community Center of Richmond to plan constructive and effective ways to respond to next week’s planned protests in Richmond by members of Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church. The church has announced its intention to picket at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Community Center of Richmond, the Jerusalem Connection and Hermitage High School on Tuesday, March 2nd via their website: GodHatesFags.com. Area LGBT groups are determined that Westboro will be met with peaceful but clear resistance.
“Richmond’s LGBT community stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and the students targeted by these protesters,” said Jay Squires, President of the Gay Community Center of Richmond. “Westboro Baptist Church made its name protesting the funerals of gay people including Matthew Sheppard. It’s crucial that LGBT people vocally oppose their hatred and ignorance no matter which groups they target.”
The LBGT and faith groups decided to endorse a rally at VCU organized by VCU Hillel, Queer Action and Men Against Violence in response to the upcoming protests. “The VCU community stands for, and promotes diversity and we thrive on how well we work together’” say the organizers. “This is an opportunity to make a stand against hate and discrimination as one.” The rally will be held at the VCU Commons at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, March 2nd. This rally was endorsed by the LGBT and faith groups as the most effective way to promote a message of tolerance and inclusion without engaging the Westboro Baptist Church members directly. The rally is being promoted with its own Facebook page: (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=325327553042&ref=mf) (Facebook membership required.) Information will also be updated on GayRichmond.com.
These groups are also lending their support to the Virginia Holocaust Museum in its efforts to counter Westboro’s plans to protest at this solemn memorial to the millions murdered by intolerant bigots. The Virginia Interfaith Center has organized an online “Phelps-a-Thon,” to benefit the museum in which they’re asking supporters to make a donation for every minute the protesters picket outside the museum. The museum plans to send Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church a thank-you note for the amount of money they raise during the protest. (https://secure3.convio.net/faith/site/Donation2?df_id=1500&1500.donation=landing)
The Virginia Holocaust Museum is using its Facebook page to inform supporters about its planned response to the protest. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richmond-VA/Virginia-Holocaust-Museum/25263221630?ref=mf&v=wall#!)
“We plan to respect the wishes of the Jewish Community Center, Hermitage High School and the Jerusalem Connection who asked that no counter-protests be staged,” says Squires. “We’re focusing our efforts on creating a positive message of inclusion, respect, and support for any and all groups who are targets of ignorance and religious intolerance.”
The organizations endorsing these peaceful efforts include the Gay Community Center of Richmond, People of Faith for Equality in Virginia, First Unitarian Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Church of Glen Allen, Metropolitan Community Church -Richmond, Richmond Lesbian Feminists, Mothers & Others, Fan Free Clinic, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), the Rainbow Minute, Queer Action VCU, VCU’s Men Against Violence, the LGBT Caucus of the Virginia Democratic Party, Virginia Pride, Equality Virginia, the $3 Bills, and Richmond Triangle Players.
For more information, please contact Jay Squires at the Gay Community Center of Richmond. He can be reached at 804-622-4646, ext. 20 or at jsquires@GayRichmond.com.
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Download a PDF Copy of the above press release
**MEETING CHANGE DUE TO WINTER WEATHER**
The meeting tomorrow, Feb 7th @ 2pm has been MOVED to 2020 Monument Ave due to the winter weather. Please call 804-467-8633 if you have any problems finding the new location. All are welcome to attend the VA Pride Board Meetings.
VA Pride Festival 2010
The VA Pride Board of Directors is please to announce the 2010 VA Pride Festival, being held on
September 25th 2010!
From 2pm to 8pm at Kanawha Plaza in Downtown Richmond.
Sponsors, vendors and entertainment groups should mark their calendars NOW!
For more information, email Justin and follow updates on VAPride.org
Welcome Amy Lockett!
VA Pride is very pleased to welcome Amy Lockett to the VA Pride Board. Find out more about Amy, and all of the VA Pride Board members, at our website.
January Meeting date change
Due to the holidays, the January board meeting has been changed to Jan 10th @ 2pm. As always we will meet in the GCCR Classroom.
Thank you!
Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2009 – Nov 20
Gay Pride Virginia is a proud Sponsor of the Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2009 – taking place on Nov. 20th at the Richmond Friends Meeting House (4500 Kensington Ave., Richmond VA 23221) at 7pm.
Annually on Nov. 20, the Transgender Day or Remembrance honors the memory of those whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence. When this effort was first undertaken in 1999, the rate of such deaths was roughly one per month. In recent years, that statistic has nearly doubled, to 20+ per year. The date is significant as the anniversary of the death of Rita Hester, a transgender woman whose life was cut short just weeks following the gay bashing death of Matthew Shepard. Whereas the Shepard case generated national press coverage and an unprecedented outcry against such violence, Ms. Hester was relegated to relative obscurity. To date, her murder remains an unsolved crime.
The Day or Remembrance is an international observance, with events planned in hundreds of cities across five continents. This year’s presentation in Richmond includes speakers who will address issues of violence facing the transgender community and readings by select individuals providing the name and a brief biography of one of the transgender persons murdered since last November 20. It is a time to come together, honor those lost individuals, and address this important issue within our community. Please join us on November 20 at the Richmond Friends Meeting House (4500 Kensington Ave., Richmond VA 23221) at 7pm.
