Creating Change Participants Leave with Ambition, Determination

After the usual flight delays that come with flying in and out of the Midwest in February, our GLAAD team has arrived home to NYC and LA. Though it's nice to be home and have a minute to catch your breath after a week of interacting with 2,000 amazing LGBT and allied activists, I believe we all left with a bit of sadness that the experience is over, but also with a lot of inspiration and plans for our future work, which starts right now, today!

At the opening plenary, the Task Force recognized and honored the organizations that formed at past Creating Change conferences. Both SONG (Southerners on New Ground) and the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals are among amazing LGBT organizations formed at the conference in years past. Not every Creating Change participant leaves the conference with a brand-new organization, but we do all leave inspired to act, to change hearts and minds.

We honored the work of our movement. We were inspired for present and future work. We made connections. I know we all created new ideas, new collaborations, and new work plans. I left Detroit with so much. And I'm not just talking about all the business cards I've collected over the weekend :) I left not only with concrete plans for media work and spokesperson trainings in my region, but also with ideas to help my work of changing hearts and minds through media advocacy. The activists honored by the Task Force spoke messages of hope, of our struggles, our successes, and the intersections of our lives: orientation, gender identity, ability, ethnicity, race, class, age, geography. I believe all of the work we have done in the past week will profoundly affect the work the movement has ahead this year. The track of media workshops GLAAD led at Creating Change helped develop future spokespeople and communication experts in the LGBT movement. I'm proud to know that GLAAD's work is part of this movement.

Sarah Kennedy is GLAAD's Central Region Media Field Strategist

Saludos,

El Departamento de Comunicaciones en Español a participado en varias sesiones en la conferencia de Creating Change, inlcuyendo una colaboración con nuestra compañera Katina Parker de el Departamento de Comunidades de Decendencia Africana. Llevamos acabo una sesión avanzada de capacitación sobre como llevar historias de la comunidad Afro-Americana y Latina LGBT a los medios de comunicación.

La comunidad Latin@ LGBT en la conferencia tiene una energia bastante palpitable. La gente esta llena de ideas y se siente un llamado para formar una estructura nacional. En el Latin@ Caucus se informó sobre en donde estamos con la formación de una organización al nivel nacional que represente al la comunidad LGBT Latin@.

UNID@S esta dando pa’ delante desde que LLEGO dejo el paso libre. Los participantes estaban prendidos y listos para dar sus sugerencias en como aprender de el pasado y no cometer los mismos errores que llevaron a la caida de LLEGO. Miren el siguiente link que les informara sobre en donde esta esta nueva organización:

http://www.unidoslgbt.org/

GLAAD en Español estuvo presente en todas las reuniones especificamente para la comunidad Latin@ y aportamos nuestra opinión en este momento de cambio bastante importante y necesitado.

Hasta la próxima.
Chuy Sánchez

Chuy Sánchez is GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media Strategist

From Invisible to Visible: Empowering Black LGBT People to Claim our Destiny

My how the landscape for Black LGBT visibility has changed since I first began working at GLAAD. Three years ago, when I signed on to be the Media Strategist for Communities of African Descent, there were only a handful of out Black LGBT folks that I could call on to represent us in media outlets like Oprah, CNN, the New York Times, etc. Now, I need like four of me to keep up with all of the amazing people out of New York, D.C., Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, anywhere USA. I can’t spokesperson train and pitch people fast enough! I love it – I love watching our communities leverage resources and build bridges in order to increase Black LGBT visibility. I’m excited about folks like the NBJC’s (National Black Justice Coalition) Alexander Robinson, Jordan-Rustin Coalition’s Vallerie Wagner, Transcend Institute’s Valerie Spencer, Seattle Black Pride’s Kiantha Duncan-Woods, Black Gay Speak’s Raymond Boney and the list goes on. In this space, I could name 50 great Black LGBT organizers and still have more to name.

As a Media Strategist for Communities of African Descent, I spokesperson train community members and pitch our stories to outlets like the Associated Press, Jet magazine, BET.com, etc. My work takes me all over the country – so I truly get to meet a little bit of everyone. The thing that continues to touch me the most about Black LGBT people is how hungry we are to see positive reflections of our lives and how eager we are to empower ourselves with information – people have literally chased me down for hard copies of GLAAD’s Media Essential Training Manual for Activists. It gives me strength to arm people with affirming terminology, news articles that support our identities, and the means to fight back when media outlets say hurtful things that jeopardize our safety. The COAD Weekly Black LGBT News and Events Digest is a labor of love. Every week it becomes longer because every week Black LGBT people throw more community-affirming events.

I take all of these things as a sign of how we’ve grown, collectively. Much of it, I believe, is owed in part to the advent of new media. In my opinion, new media is an awesome opportunity to name ourselves, to talk about our lives in ways that are authentic, to recognize that we are many, and, for those of us who have the skill-set, to launch webisodes and programming that tell our stories. In new media, I see significant opportunities for community building and outreach.

In 2008, we have our work cut out for us. The challenge: preventing our communities from falling for the okey-doke when it comes to political candidates using “gay marriage” to divide our vote. The solution: becoming as visible as possible in our communities and media outlets. This means telling our stories about coming out, love, professional successes and challenges, faith, discrimination – anything that touches the human heart, we should speak to. In doing so, we name ourselves, we name our destiny, we change hearts and minds, we move closer to receiving equal rights and protections under the law.

I’m truly impressed by and humbled by the community that has served me for so many years and am proud of anything I’ve contributed to make the spaces we enter more safe, more loving, more empowered. It is an amazing time to be out, Black, LGBT and proud.

Katina Parker is GLAAD's Media Strategist for Communities of African Descent

Reunion de activistas para los derechos equitativos

We’re at Creating Change in Detroit, where 2000 marvelous people have gathered to talk and strategize about make this a better world for LGBT people.

I work with Spanish-Language Media, along with my colleague Chuy Sánchez in New York. It’s been an amazing year in Spanish-language media, after the coming out in March, 2007, of singer Christian Chávez of the hugely popular Mexican group RBD. When Chávez came out and announced that he’d married his partner, he put a face to a very real subject—love and mutual support between same-sex couples.
At GLAAD, we work to give voice to those not as famous as Christian Chávez, because we know that when people hear or see stories about LGBT people, their prejudices diminish. And we change the world, one story at a time.

If you are or have Latino or Latina friends interested in helping us monitor Spanish-language media, or if you know allies, like parents or friends who’d like to speak out about their support of LGBT people, please contact me at trasandes@glaad.org.

---

Les escribo desde la conferencia Creating Change en Detroit, donde hay 2000 personas maravillosas que quieren mejorar este mundo nuestro. Yo y mi colega Chuy Sánchez trabajamos en GLAAD para educar a los medios en español sobre las historias de personas gay, lesbiana, bisexual y transgénero. Este ha sido un año increible en los medios en español. Cuando Christian Chávez del grupo RBD anunció en marzo del 2007 que es gay y que se había casado con su compañero, de repente los medios estaban llenos de fotos de un muchacho talentoso, guapo y orgulloso. Chávez le dio cara a algo muy importante—el amor y apoyo mútuo entre parejas del mismo sexo.

En GLAAD trabajamos todos los días para darles voz a las personas LGBT menos famosas que Christian. Porque cuando televidentes y radio escuchantes saben nuestras historias, se desminuye el prejucio y asi cambiamos el mundo, historia por historia.

Si tu quieres ayudar a GLAAD con monitorear a los medios en español o si conoces una persona LGBT que quiere contar si historia, o si conoces una persona que no es gay—una mama o papa, una amiga o amigo que quieren expresar su apoyo para alguien LGBT, por favor escribeme a trasandes@glaad.org.

Saludos! Monica

Monica Trasandes is GLAAD’s Director of Spanish-Language Media and Chuy Sanchez is GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media Strategist.

Learning to Have 'Faith' in the Media

Faith LGBT activists put on a “media hat” at my media workshop. Participants nodded as they examined how gay people in faith traditions focus on changing internal policies, and sometimes treat media as irrelevant or at least a matter of luck when it comes to good coverage. Participants began to take charge of their own media moments as they brainstormed upcoming events in their own contexts. They worked and reworked talking points—always examining what impact their words might have and who they wanted to persuade.

Serious “ah-ha!” moments occurred as we began to do media planning so that our press advisories give press the heads up they need to show up for the media moment. Faith stories have captured the interest of journalists so the door is open. With knowledge that journalists need us as much as we need them, these faith activists gained awareness that the wide reach of media gets the word out that many faith people are moving toward equality.

The big take-home folks stuffed in their “media hat” was the help available through GLAAD's Religion, Faith and Values program and access to GLAAD's full staff when a big press moment comes around. With staff in the areas of faith, Media Field Strategy and National News faith activists don’t have to do media alone.

Ann Craig is GLAAD’s Director of Religion, Faith and Values

A Day Well Spent Building Media & Communications Capacity for LGBT Leaders

What an incredible day! Although it was daunting to lead two 3-hour trainings it was well worth all the work. This morning I began my day with a small group of dedicated LGBT activists on the topic of building relationships with media professionals. Despite technical issues (which were miraculously resolved only minutes before the presentation) the training went off without a hitch and the participants seemed excited to take their new found skills and apply them to their work. This group of activists are currently working on issues from launching Gay Straight Alliances in high schools to elevating the issue of LGBT athletes.

The second half of my day was spent doing a high-level training on strategic communications planning for advocacy campaigns and crisis communications work. There was a lot of information to share with folks but it was apparent at the end of the training how valuable folks felt these new skills will be in their work. All of the participants left with a skeleton draft of a communications plan that will effectively reach ‘moveable middle’ audiences and change public opinion on LGBT issues!

At the end of the day I was pleasantly surprised to see Jere Keyes from Out and Equal Workplace Advocates was also blogging from the conference (Thanks for the plug Jerry! It was great to see you at this afternoon's training!)

Paul Karr is GLAAD’s Director of Media Field Strategy

GLAAD Presents a Media Monitoring and Mobilization Training

Paul Karr, Director of Media Field Strategy, and I, just finished presenting a session on Rapid Response Communications. The training was part of the leadership academy program, which is a new program of Creating Change this year. The presentation centered on creating local media monitoring teams to monitor and respond to media coverage of LGBT issues. Quick responses to media from local folks go a long way when dealing with problematic and/or defamatory coverage.

The session was great because the media volunteer group we used as an example, the Triangle Media Trackers, was represented in the group of training participants! The Triangle Media Trackers is a group of volunteers who work with GLAAD and the Triangle Foundation. I co-manage the Media Trackers with Dawn Wolfe, Director of Communications at the Triangle Foundation. Dawn was able to attend the session and lend her expertise and Media Tracker volunteer Grant Gellert was also a participant in the workshop.

One of the great things about Creating Change is that I’m able to meet with folks like Dawn and Grant, with whom I work with a lot via e-mail and the phone. I’m looking forward to meeting with the rest of the Media Trackers at our reception tomorrow!

Sarah Kennedy is GLAAD’s Central Media Field Strategist

GLAAD Continues Building Relationships with the LGBT API Community

Andy Marra reporting in from the Creating Change Exhibitor’s Hall. I am
already starting to feel the burn! Despite snow and airplane delays the
conference is well underway.

I have been catching up with a multitude of community leaders. So far, I
have met with colleagues from the Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York
(GAPIMNY) and Q-WAVE and Invisible to Invincible. We discussed upcoming
opportunities for GLAAD to provide media trainings and panel discussions on
API LGBT images and stories in the media. I’m excited to partner with
our local sister organizations in the near future with this work and build
their media capacity.

I also ran into some colleagues from the National Center for Transgender
Equality (NCTE), the Transgender Law Center, and the New York Association
for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA). They wanted an update on our
increasingly visible transgender work in the media. I was happy to share that the
National News Media Program recently selected our first-ever Transgender
Initiative Fellow to develop our growing work to increase the authenticity
transgender media representations. I was also able to connect the
Transgender Law Center with our Media Field Strategy Program to provide a
media training for their upcoming Transgender Leadership Summit.

There will be more to come from this buzz of activity in Detroit. Stay
tuned!

Andy Marra is GLAAD’s Asian Pacific Islander Media Strategist

GLAAD Re-Connects with Community Partners from Around the Country

Throughout the year GLAAD’s Media Field Strategy department travels around the country working with local and statewide LGBT organizations. Our Media Field Strategists collaborate with folks through trips from our LA and NYC offices (most recently our Western Strategist traveled to New Mexico and our Central Strategist traveled to Kansas). When we're not out in the field, we're collaborating directly with folks in all 50 states over the phone and via e-mail. That's why Creating Change is so exciting--we're getting to meet with folks who we don't ordinarly see on a day-to-day basis and talk about our work together.

Today I’ve run into and talked with Danny Upton with Equality Alabama (www.equalityalabama.org), John Hoadley with the Stonewall Democrats (www.stonewalldemocrats.org) and of course a number of my colleagues here at GLAAD.

If you’re attending Creating Change be sure to stop by our table and say ‘hello.’ If you’re not in town be sure to check back and see how our work is going along!

Paul Karr is the Director of Media Field Strategy for GLAAD

GLAAD at Creating Change

Welcome to GLAAD’s first-ever blog from Creating Change! Here in GLAAD’s New York office we’re spending the day getting ready to fly to Detroit. Throughout the next few days, you’ll be hearing from all of the GLAAD staffers attending Creating Change:

• Rashad Robinson, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Media Programs;
• Paul Karr, GLAAD’s Director of Media Field Strategy;
• Ann Craig, GLAAD’s Director of Religion, Faith, and Values;
• Katina Parker, GLAAD’s Communities of African Descent Media Strategist;
• Andy Marra, GLAAD’s Asian Pacific Islander Media Strategist;
• Chuy Sanchez, GLAAD’s Spanish Language Media Strategist;
• and me, Sarah Kennedy, GLAAD’s Central Region Media Field Strategist.

We all are looking forward to Creating Change and the many opportunities we’ll have to meet up with activists from across the country and connect with them about ensuring fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community within our local, regional, and national media. We hope you all will stop by our table to visit with us, and that you’ll attend our workshop sessions.

Schedule of GLAAD workshops:

FRIDAY:
9:00 a.m. – 12: 15 p.m.
Media Essentials: Making Your Voice Heard
Rashad Robinson

3:00 PM – 6:15 PM
Media Essentials: Rapid Response Communications
Paul Karr & Sarah Kennedy

SATURDAY:
9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
In Our Own Words: Cultural Competency and Media Advocacy
Katina Parker & Chuy Sanchez

9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Media Cultivation: Media Strategy and Communications Capacity
Paul Karr

3:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
Media Mastery: Advanced Media Advocacy and Communications Strategy
Paul Karr

Creating Change Full Schedule: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/creating_change/CC08PrgrmNoAds.pdf

Sarah Kennedy is the Central Region Media Field Strategist for GLAAD