Communtiy Compass
Community
Compass
Community Compass is a service of OITM. GLBT organizations from around the state are invited to provide briet — 200 words or less — descriptions of recent or upcoming activities and events. Send your submissions to us by email by the 15th of the month.
Burlington U.U. Society Welcoming Congregation
The First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington is proud to announce its official status as a Welcoming Congregation, which publicly recognizes the UU as not only a safe place, but an encouraging, accepting, welcoming, and celebratory sanctuary for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning community. The congregation has journeyed through a two-and-a-half year program of workshops and events designed to promote awareness of, education about, and interaction with the lifestyles and lives of its GLBTQ members, both personally and politically. The congregation passed the Resolution for becoming a WC at the June annual meeting, and became only the second in the country to do so by unanimous vote.
The UU has long supported the GLBTQ community: from marching in the annual Pride Day parade behind the UU banner to hosting the first public celebration of the Supreme Court freedom to marry decision to speaking at the legislative hearings and hosting letter writing campaigns before the crucial civil union vote.
In celebration of this momentous occasion, the UU will hold a special ceremony during the Oct. 8, 2000, Sunday service, which will also acknowledge and recognize the beginning of National Coming Out Week. The service begins at 11am at the UU Society of Burlington (that’s the beautiful building at the head of Church Street), and will be followed at 12:30pm by a regional gathering of the regular Second Sunday Interweave Potluck (the more social arm of the UU GLBTQ organization). Please join us for both events. For further information, please call Alison Hilber, Chair, Welcoming Congregation Committee, 658-5313.
Mountain Pride Media
Mountain Pride Media is busy planning new and exciting projects for 2001. Thanks to a generous grant from the Samara Foundation of Vermont, one of our first projects will be to conduct an Out In The Mountains readership survey. You can find this survey in this month’s issue and we encourage everyone to fill it out and return it to us by the end of the month. Not only can you win great prizes, you also can help us gather information to help us implement new projects and initiatives in 2001. It is important that we hear from you, so send your survey in today.
We continue to travel the state with our Green Mountain Tour. This tour brings Mountain Pride Media to your neighborhood to talk about what we are working on, to meet board and staff members, to talk about what we could be doing better, and to teach you some great media writing skills. Our thanks to Eric McCann and Chris Sellers for hosting our North Troy tour stop on Sept. 23. Our last stop for 2000 will be in Windsor County on Nov. 5. The Tour will start up again in January, 2001.
Thanks to Dan, Jason, Rick, Leroy, Matthew, Vincent, Laura, Jenn, and Richard for helping us get the September issue mailed out on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the summer. We always welcome people to stop by our Richmond office the last Thursday of every month between 5 and 8pm to help get OITM out into our community. This month’s stuffing will be on Oct. 26, so mark your calendars and plan on joining us. We also have a multitude of other ways you can help out. To find out about our current volunteer opportunities check out our Volunteers Page online at mountainpridemedia.org/volunteer.htm.
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association: New England Chapter
Three Vermonters attended the annual convention and 10th anniversary celebration of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association in San Francisco last month. Ross Sneyd, John Scagliotti, and Barbara Dozetos joined several others from the New England chapter at the event.
During the convention, Barbara was appointed to fulfill the remainder of Fred Kuhr’s term as NE Chapter President.
The chapter is making plans for events and meetings throughout the five-state region, including a panel discussion featuring authors of books about GLBT topics to be hosted by the Book Rack in Winooski sometime in November.
Membership is open to anyone supporting the organization’s mission of fostering fair and accurate coverage of lesbian and gay issues, and opposing newsroom bias toward gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people and all other minorities.
For more information, call (802) 388-8298 or email bgdoze@aol.com
Outright Vermont
The Training Announced in last month’s Compass for Sept. 30 has been moved to Oct. 7.
With the new school year upon us, Outright Vermont is seeking volunteers to become youth group facilitators for our on-going Friday night mixed gender support group. If resources and volunteers are available, we will seek to add additional support groups to our calendar this year.
Priorities include developing more support programs for transgendered and trans-questioning youth and adding facilitators to our roster with specific experience dealing with racism and issues affecting youth of color. We are also seeking volunteers to join our speakers bureau. Training for both opportunities will take place on Oct. 7.
All are welcome to attend and meet current facilitators and staff. Of course, we are always open to visitors and would be happy to give you a tour and discuss volunteer opportunities at any time.
For more information or an application form contact Christopher at (802) 865-9677 or by e-mail at Christopher@outrightvt.org. People of color, bisexual and transgendered people are encouraged to volunteer.
Pride Vermont
Come out and show your pride! We invite you to attend an open community needs and assessment meeting for Pride VT. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 7-9pm at the McClure Multi-Generational Center, 241 N. Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT. This is an opportunity for everyone to speak their minds and contribute to the future of Pride VT. Refreshments will be served. For more info contact Brian Cina or Eric Cross @ 859-9238.
Vermont Coalition For Lesbian and Gay Rights
The Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights will host the 2000 Conference/Town Meeting: Leading the Way to Equality on Saturday Oct. 21, 2000 at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, VT. Registration begins at 8am; the activities begin at 9am and will conclude by 6pm.
We will gather together for a day of reflection upon our glbtq community and talk about needs, opportunities, and plans for moving forward. Begin the day with dynamic speakers, enticing workshops and an exceptional cross-generational panel. Complete the day with a Town Meeting, followed by great music!
Workshops will include history of the gay and lesbian movement, Civil Unions, sharing stories about our lives, Gill Foundation: Fix Your Fundraising Events, RU12? Community Center community participation, sexuality/gender identity, safe sex, and youth issues.
We are looking forward to a great turnout. For a registration brochure, please contact Virginia Renfrew at renfrew@sover.net or call 496-4333.
Umoja Men’s Health Project
The Umoja Men’s Health Project has been established by the IMANI Health Institute to provide a forum for social and health issues for MSM men. We are a cross cultural group open to all ethnic heritages. Through social events and gatherings a safe, enjoyable space to meet and share ideas). We hope to have a group that can be together in a happy, confidential way so that we can share and nurture our spirits. For more information, please call IMANI at 864-2631. Ask for James.