The Monday Roll Out

Creating Change 2015 Web site is Live!

The 27th Annual Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change climbs its way to the mile high city, Denver, CO Feb 4–Feb. 8, 2015. Creating Change is the premier annual organizing and skills-building event for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and our allies. The Creating Change 2015 website is online now and ready for you to: Bring all you've got to give, teach and share in a Creating Change workshop session. Take the first step by submitting a workshop proposal. Reserve your hotel room at the conference hotel, the lovely Sheraton Denver Downtown. Sign up to volunteer or host an attendee during the conference (for Denver area residents). Creating Change 2015 registration will open next month in August. Sign up for our e-mail list so that you'll be the first to know when it opens. We're really looking forward to building power, taking action and creating change with you in Denver! COP 24/7 Special National Gay Rights Group Hires Arkansas Director As Part Of Southern Campaign By Michael Hibblen   As part of a campaign to expand protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in three southern states, an Arkansas director has been named for the Human Rights Campaign. Kendra Johnson was introduced during a press conference at the capitol Monday and said LGBT people are particularly vulnerable in Arkansas. "There are no non-discrimination protections in employment, housing or public accomodations. What does that mean? It means I can be kicked out of a restaurant for simply being a lesbian, or that a gay friend of mine can be fired just for being gay, or that a transgender woman can be kicked out of her apartment for simply being who she is," Johnson said. "That’s not right, and as Arkansans, we can do better than that." State Rep. Warwick Sabin, a Democrat from Little Rock, says there are some supporters of expanding hate crime laws in the Arkansas Legislature, but that passage is a long shot, given the current balance of power. "We have an uphill batter currently because just in the last regular session, we had to stave off some resolutions and other efforts to marginalize the LGBT community more than they already are, so we’re going to do everything we can and certainly we need more vocal support.  I think the organization of the HRC campaign and the opening of the office and the hiring of the state director will help us make progress toward that end," Sabin said. The Arkansas office is being funded through an $8.5 million campaign to promote LGBT equality in Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi. Johnson's hiring coincides with court fights that are underway at the federal and state level over Arkansas's ban on gay marriage. The group also released results of a survey Monday, said to be the largest of LGBT Arkansans ever conducted, finding many report experiencing discrimination in employment, harassment in public establishments and at houses of worship. "Mirror" Anthology Project Seeking Submissions, Announces Model Selection A new anthology project under the working title of "Reflections of A Shattered Mirror," is ready to seek original content ranging from prose to essay concerning personal lived experiences in relation to social justice issues while embracing all aspects of an individuals LGBTQI journey and beyond.  Mr. Dell Williams has agreed to serve as a cover model for the project. He will also be instrumental in spearheading the design and overall vibe of the cover art. He has had interest in modeling offering his life style impressions on Facebook and is a proud father of two daughters. Submission's can be forwarded to nealix101@comcast.net for consideration which are now underway. Content can include high quality photo's, drawings, essay, white paper's and other graphic art work to support the overall themes of the publication. Currently we are seeking cover concepts that could be chosen for the work due for release in December. The project was green lighted as a initiative of the Bush-Mallon Institute for Social Justice in collaboration with The National Association of Black and White Men Together, Inc.( www.nabwmt.org)  According to Executive Editor, C. Mabin the periodical will continue to explore the multi layered experiences of same gender loving men and women and the impact of coming out, homophobia, intimate partner violence, gender identity, long term partnership and assorted sub culture myths that are often languish in misinformation. COP 24/7 is enthusiastic and excited at the forward motion of the project and will be updating as additional decision are concluded. Please stay tuned to this platform as well as on our new Facebook page (www.facebook.com/corneliusonpoint ) Don't forget to "like" our page!