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Monday, April 25, 2011
HRC Family News: Submit Your Nomination for HRC's Mother of the Year
Preventing a nightmare
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Dear pearle,
After a decade at HRC's Family Project, I've heard too many horror stories. Loved ones barred from hospital rooms. A man forced to drive two and a half hours to get healthcare directives while his partner lay in the hospital after a brain injury. The pain of discrimination at the worst possible moment. Whether you're LGBT or straight, in an emergency it's critical that doctors know your healthcare wishes and, if you're incapacitated, that they have your emergency information and can notify the right people. If you already have written proof of your healthcare wishes, you're on the right track. But you can't carry your documents with you everywhere. What if they're sitting in a file cabinet at home when the unthinkable occurs? No one should have to go through that – and you don't have to. There's a great service called DocuBank that can help you avoid it. If you donate to HRC right now, you'll not only become an HRC member for 2011 – you'll also get easy access to a full year of DocuBank service for free. DocuBank stores electronic copies of all the legal documents you might need in a medical emergency – Healthcare Powers of Attorney, living wills, HIPAA releases, visitation documents – along with vital information like your allergies and emergency contacts. Using a card you carry in your wallet, hospital staff can immediately obtain your documents by fax or a secure webpage, even if you're alone or incapacitated. This is such a critical service that we've partnered with DocuBank to provide special discounts for HRC members year-round: $25 per year (regularly $45) or $95 for 5 years (regularly $145). And if you register with DocuBank by May 16, 2011, you can receive a year of free access from DocuBank in recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day. Our arrangement with DocuBank makes it easy for you to register by this deadline! DocuBank can be helpful whether you're gay or straight, single or in a relationship. It makes your healthcare wishes and emergency information immediately available 24/7/365, worldwide. And even with new federal regulations on hospital visitation, along with great improvements in laws and hospital policies after decades of work by HRC and others, it's still important to document your wishes – and to have that documentation available to doctors as quickly as possible especially in case of emergency. Without this protection, the person you've chosen to speak for you may be scrambling to retrieve your documents after an accident or incident, at a time when you should be together. I've heard stories of discrimination even in places where you'd think LGBT people would be respected – D.C., New York, California – and even in the time since President Obama issued his landmark hospital visitation rules. DocuBank can help protect your wishes at the most critical moments. I hope you'll look into it. Sincerely, Tom Sullivan HRC Family Project P.S. If you don't have documentation of your healthcare wishes, in an emergency you may be unable to make medical decisions or state who you want to visit you. The HRC Family Project has put together some resources on protecting your hospital visitation and decision-making rights. | |||
| © 2011 The Human Rights Campaign. All rights reserved. Human Rights Campaign | http://www.hrc.org/ 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-3278 Phone: 202/628-4160 TTY: 202/216-1572 Fax: 202/347-5323 | |||
Elton John's Friendship that Changed History
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Pearle E., Elton John wrote an open letter last year on the 20th anniversary of the death of his good friend, Ryan White. The same kid who was asked to leave his school was also enjoying back stage concerts with one of the most famous singers of all time. Much has changed since Ryan White moved the whole world. But this letter captures why we still have a long way to go. We need you to be a part of the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. When you ride, volunteer, or give, you are a big part of why things are better, and why we see so many people living and thriving with HIV and AIDS. The picture Elton John paints makes it clear that it will take all of us pulling together to keep change going, to make the world a better place for our neighbors with AIDS. That's what the Hill Country Ride for AIDS is all about, and we won't stop until every man, woman, and child living with HIV and AIDS has the care they need to live to their fullest potential. You can help get us closer, thank you!
Dear Ryan, I remember so well when we first met. A young boy with a terrible disease, you were the epitome of grace. You never blamed anyone for the illness that ravaged your body or the torment and stigma you endured. When students, parents and teachers in your community shunned you, threatened you and expelled you from school, you responded not with words of hate but with understanding beyond your years. You said they were simply afraid of what they did not know. When the media heralded you as an "innocent victim" because you had contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, you rejected that label and stood in solidarity with thousands of HIV-positive women and men. You reminded America that all victims of AIDS are innocent. PURE AUSTIN BLOCKBUSTER SPIN CLASSES
Please follow these steps to register early: Contest winners! Congratulations to Carlos Henderson on winning the Specialized Bicycle in the drawing from our generous sponsors, Bicycle Sport Shop. Carlos is one of the Ride's most ardent supporters, and with his partner Enrique, makes the Ride video we all enjoy every year. He's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, and when he registered to ride this year and started raising money, wasn't sure what he was going to ride...now he is! Many thanks again to Bicycle Sport Shop for their generous gift! And another award from last week's contest! Congratulations to Tommy Navarre for sending out more than 740 email requests for donations, more than anyone else! Tommy is always a top fundraiser, and for this contest wins a free round trip ticket on Jet Blue, way to go Tommy! ...that there is a new start/finish location, and a whole new schedule? Check out Reunion Ranch and the new schedule, we'll miss you if you're not there! Even if you're not riding or volunteering, you're invited to come out and enjoy the day, all are welcome. Last Training Ride before Ride Day! Meet up 8:30 Ride out 9:00 Kiker Elementary 5913 LaCrosse Ave 8, 11, 16, 22 miles Click here to create directions from your house! Many thanks to Production Team member, Megan Ortiz for creating this video from your 'Why I Ride' campaign. If you haven't already, let us know why you ride!
Get a blank 'WHY I RIDE' poster from the training rides or the Ride office - Write why you ride, take a photo and send it to us at info@hillcountryride.org. We have the best sponsors! Show them our appreciation by giving them your business! 
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2nd Annual Harvey Milk Day
Austin Community College in collaboration with NOH8, GetEqual-Texas,and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network of Texas invites you to the 2nd Annual Harvey Milk Conference to be held in Austin, TX on May 21st and 22nd, 2011. Little less than a year ago, the GSA Network set out for a call to action in a forum entitled "Our Schools" and we attended to listen in the needs addressed for the community. We are proud to offer this space of safety, education, and most importantly LOVE; for us to grow but more importantly, so YOU know that there is a SAFE PLACE at Austin Community College!
Seats are going fast for this event as we can only accommodate 200 for the breakfast opening plenary by Robin McGehee, Executive Director-GetEqual, and 250+ for workshops with other fun events right after. We highly recommend reserving your seat as soon as possible if you plan to attend the conference by visiting our ticketing system at:
http://austinharveymilkday.eventbrite.com/
The one marked; "Reservation" requires no payment information at all, the "Reservation + Online Donation" option will allow you to use Paypal or a credit card to give a donation while reserving your seat. We encourage donations so we are able to facilitate a better experience and flights for speakers, but we will not turn down anybody for lack of funds.
These methods will result in an electronic ticket being emailed to the the email address provided, print out to present at the door.
If you haven't already gone through this process and are planning to be there please do so as soon as you can.
Remember that these reservations are for the conference, work shops and keynote speeches. They do not take place at any costs or suggested donations associated with other campaigns or events that are part of this weekend such as the OutYouth Prom Saturday May 21, 2011 orthe NoH8 Campaign photo shoot on Sunday May 22, 2011.
Prom:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198498020191013
NOH8 Official Photo Shoot:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124238760987518
Exciting news:
An anonymous donation of 2 Single NOH8 Campaign photo shots have been awarded. Everyone who has reserved their seating by May 6th will be automatically entered into a drawing.
Two names will be randomly drawn.
The winners will be announced Friday, May 6th!
We can't wait to see you all Here!
Visit http://austinharveymilkday.eventbrite.com/ to reserve your seat!
If you would like to co-sponsor this event by submitting a workshop, emailing your list-serve, or even coming to table with information; it doesn't require monetary donation, but support in coalition!
Please contact:
info@getequaltx.org or accequalitynow@gmail.com
Thank YOU very much for all your efforts to make this State a safe and understanding environment from everything that holds us back.
In Solidarity,
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Equality Now @ Austin Commmunity College
Leadership Team
Omar Lopez - President
Brittany Tovar - Treasure/Co-President
Angelia Welch - President (2011-12)
Ruth Badillo - Secretary
Megan Rue - Secretary
Sponsors:
Gay-Straight Alliance Network of Texas
GetEqual-Texas
NOH8 Campaign
Co-Sponsors:
Atticus Circle
Campus Activity Board Funding
Center for Student Political Studies @ Austin Commmunity College
City Council Member Randi Shade
Dignity San Antonio
Direct Action Network of San Antonio
El Sol y La Luna Restaurante
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Aggies
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Resource Center @ Texas A&M
International Socialist Organization
Office of Student Life
OUTcast Radio 91.7 KOOP-Austin
Outyouth
Pride Socks
Project Embrace San Antonio (LGBT Foster)
Texas Advocacy Project
Texas Civil Rights Project
The Republiq
Young Stonewall Democrats of Texas
Friday, April 22, 2011
HRC Weekly Update from Joe Solmonese
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| Dear pearle, As we all know, legally married same-sex couples are denied access to more than one thousand federal rights normally afforded through marriage, putting our families at a disadvantage solely because of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Needless to say we were floored when it was revealed that the Atlanta-based law firm King & Spalding decided to voluntarily step up and defend DOMA in court on behalf of the U.S. House Republican leadership. The great irony here is that the firm's own website touts their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender attorneys along with their non-discrimination policies and domestic partner benefits. King & Spalding's defense of DOMA flies in the face of these expressed corporate values, which place a heavy emphasis on diversity. For the firm to say they value LGBT Americans while simultaneously raking in hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to argue against their equality is hypocrisy at its worst. We're going to make sure this hypocrisy does not go unnoticed by the American public. A majority of people oppose DOMA and support marriage equality – and they will recognize that by choosing to defend DOMA at $520 an hour, King & Spalding has put a price on their own integrity. We've already launched an aggressive educational campaign to shine the spotlight on the firm's affront to their own stated values. On Tuesday of next week I'm heading down to Atlanta – literally to King & Spalding's front door – to hold a press conference with local leaders calling out their hypocrisy and the harm that DOMA causes real people. We will make sure our message is heard loud and clear that no amount of money they might make will justify this type of outright discrimination Now I understand that members of the legal profession sometimes have an obligation to represent unpopular clients and take on unpopular cases – particularly in defending the disenfranchised individuals charged with crimes, and individuals whose civil liberties are in jeopardy. However, this is not one of those cases. King & Spalding could have easily declined to take this case, as thousands of fair-minded attorneys around the country would have done. Our message to law firms and corporations is that decisions have consequences. If you decide to support discrimination, then you had better be prepared to explain why to millions of fair-minded Americans. Finally, as many of you celebrate holidays this week, I wish you a happy and healthy weekend with the ones you love. Joe Solmonese  | ||||
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