HISTORY WILL BE MADE!

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On a final note, it's vitally important we send
a strong message on Election Day. And we need
each of you to help until the very last minute
when polls close at 8 p.m.

Victory is within sight.

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LATINOS UNIDOS CONTRA LA PROP 8!

GET-OUT-THE-VOTE
CARNE ASADA

Sunday, November 2, 2008
3:00 PM

East Los Angeles Campaign Office
Sponsored by HONOR PAC
4512 Cesar Chavez Avenue
East Los Angeles, CA 90022
Parking available on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Ford,
adjacent to the 710 Freeway.

With only a few days to go, we need you to help us reach out to bilingual voters and urge them to...

Vote NO on Proposition 8!

Bring your friends, spouses, partners, and families!
For more information please
call the East LA Office at (323) 787-7982

DEMOCRATIC WOMEN
LEADERS SAY
NO TO PROP 8

Official Statewide GOTV Launch

United Farm Workers Co-Founder Dolores Huerta
Congresswoman Hilda Solis
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry
Long Beach Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal
La Puente Councilmember Nadia Mendoza
Lorri L. Jean, LA Gay & Lesbian Center
Community Leader Christine Chavez
Assemblymember Emiritus Jackie Goldberg
EunSook Lee, E.D. NAKASEK
Award winning journalist Giselle Fernandez
Emmy Award winner Jackie Guerra
Mercedes Marquez, G.M. LA Housing Dept. (ID Only)
Sandra Figueroa-Villa, E.D. El Centro del Pueblo
Kellie M. Hawkins, Commission on the Status of Women
and many more!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008
5:00 PM

No on Prop 8
East Los Angeles Campaign Office

Sponsored by Honor Pac
4512 Cesar Chavez Avenue
East Los Angeles, CA 90022

B Y O C
BRING YOUR OWN CELL

After the program, please stay and help us call women voters across California and remind them that Prop 8 is unfair and wrong!

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Adrian Acosta (310) 218-7752 or jangulo@noonprop8.com.

Women in California will play a decisive role in determining the outcome of Proposition 8. Women leaders across the state agree that eliminating the rights of same sex couples to marry is Unfair & Wrong.

Please join female members of Congress, state legislators, council members, local officials, community leaders, and Hollywood advocates
in saying:
NO ON PROP 8!

Special Guests:
UFW Co-Founder Dolores Huerta
Congresswoman Hilda Solis
CA Board of Equalization Chair Judy Chu*
Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry*
Award winning journalist Giselle Fernandez
Emmy Award winner Jackie Guerra

Additional confirmed guests announced soon.

Come for the presentations, stay for the GOTV phone bank
and help defeat Proposition 8. Bring your cell phone and charger!

For more information, please contact Javier Angulo at jangulo@noonprop8.com, or (562) 367-4292.

*Pending

With only 6 days to go, we need you to help us reach out to bilingual voters and urge them to
Vote NO on Proposition 8!

EAST LOS ANGELES
GOTV PHONE BANKING HOURS

Wed-Thurs: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday 11/3: 8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Election Day 11/4: 6:00 AM - 8:30 PM

No On 8 East L.A. Campaign Office
Sponsored by Honor Pac

4512 Cesar Chavez Avenue
East Los Angeles, CA 90022
Parking available on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Ford,
adjacent to the 710 Freeway.

Bring your friends and families!
Child Care provided!

To volunteer or for more information, please contact:

Bridgett Gonzalez,
Campaign Office Manager
(323) 787-7982, or via email at
bgonzalez24@aol.com

8,000+ Calls and Counting!

Since its grand opening two weeks ago, the No on Prop 8 East Los Angeles office, sponsored by HONOR PAC, has made more than 8,000 calls to undecided voters!

We need to have many more conversations to win on November 4th. When voters get educated about the real impact of Proposition 8, they side with justice and equality.

ONLY 12 DAYS LEFT!

Lend your weeknights and weekends to win the most important social-political battle of our time. Make history! Join hundreds of enthusiastic supporters who are taking a leave from work next week to commit 100% of their time to defeating Prop 8.

EXPANDED HOURS!

The East Los Angeles campaign office has been receiving a steady stream of committed volunteers. However, we need more. We need you there! Not available on Monday night? Join us on Tuesday. Not available on weeknights? We'll see you on Saturday or Sunday.

PHONE BANKING HOURS
Mon -Thurs: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

No On 8 East L.A. Campaign Office
Sponsored by Honor Pac

4512 Cesar Chavez Avenue
East Los Angeles, CA 90022

(Plenty of parking is located on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Ford, adjacent to the 710 Freeway.)

To volunteer or for more information, please contact:

Bridgett Gonzalez,
Campaign Office Manager
(323) 787-7982, or via email at
bgonzalez24@aol.com

TEAMWORK! HOST A PHONE BANK
Organizations and groups have joined the fight for marriage equality. If your organization has not committed to phone bank as a team, please contact Adrian Acosta at (310) 218-7752, or at AACosta@lambdalegal.org. We will accommodate your members or staff to call voters as a team!

CLICK HERE TO FIND A
PHONE BANKING CENTER NEAR YOU.

New No on Prop 8 Ad Features California Superintendent of Schools

EAST LOS ANGELES
BREAKFAST RALLY

With Guest Speaker
California Assembly Speaker Emeritus
The Honorable Fabian Nuñez

Saturday, October 18, 2008
10:00 AM
PHONE BANK: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

WHERE:

NO ON PROP 8 EAST LOS ANGELES CAMPAIGN OFFICE OPEN FOR ACTION!

PHONE BANK STARTS TOMORROW,
SATURDAY OCT 11, 2008
10:00 AM

The campaign says it is being outspent and urges more donations. Both sides ramp up outreach to Latinos.

By Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

October 8, 2008

Opponents of a campaign to ban same-sex marriage in California said Tuesday that a new poll shows them in danger of losing -- unless people step forward with more contributions to pay for No on 8 television commercials.

The opposition has enjoyed a healthy lead in several surveys taken by polling organizations that do not have a stake in the campaign. But officials with the No on 8 campaign held a conference call with reporters Tuesday to announce that their own poll showed the measure would pass by four points. Opponents attributed the result to fewer television ads, which is, in turn, a result of the No on 8 campaign falling behind in fundraising.

Although the Yes on 8 campaign has not yet posted its latest fund-raising report, supporters said Tuesday that they have raised at least $25 million, compared with $15.75 million raised by the other side.

"As a result of not being able to match dollar for dollar, we have seen a change," said Geoff Kors, the executive director of Equality California, which is fighting Proposition 8, the proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would define marriage as only between a man and a woman.

The announcement pleased supporters of Proposition 8. "I can understand their concern," said Sonja Eddings Brown, spokeswoman for the Protect Marriage Coalition.

Although other polls throughout the summer have consistently shown Proposition 8 failing, she pointed to another recent poll, from CBS and SurveyUSA, which showed the measure leading slightly.

Typically, campaigns do not release their internal polling information. But opponents of Proposition 8 are clearly hoping to spur donations by dramatizing the threat to same-sex marriage.

Steve Smith, campaign manager for No on 8, said he wanted to be able to "match [opponents] dollar for dollar. If we don't get there, voters won't hear our messages."

Smith also said his forces are being outspent in part because of a surge in contributions from Mormon Church members.

"I don't think we have ever seen a single religion in the state . . . so significantly participate in one political campaign," Smith said.

Officials with the Mormon Church did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.

Meanwhile, gay and lesbian Mormons are criticizing members of their faith who support Proposition 8, pointing out that Mormons were once persecuted for defining marriage outside the traditional view of one woman and one man.

"The Mormon Church teaches that we should be building families," said David Melson, assistant executive director of Affirmation, a group of gay and lesbian Mormons. "Through measures like Proposition 8, they are working to tear families apart."

It is unclear how far ahead backers of Proposition 8 are in terms of fund-raising. The campaign tried to file its latest finance report Monday, the deadline for making the disclosure. But Kate Folmar, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Debra Bowen, said the report was so voluminous that the state's computer could not handle it. Technicians were working on the problem Tuesday, Folmar said.

Also this week, both campaigns ramped up their outreach to Latinos.

The Yes on 8 side began airing a commercial on dozens of Spanish television stations that warned that children would be taught about gay marriage if the proposition was not approved. The spot features a little girl whose class reads a fairy tale about a prince who can't find a princess to marry -- so instead he marries a prince. Campaign officials said the ad would begin airing in English soon too.

The No on 8 campaign announced rallies in Latino neighborhoods. Los Angeles Unified School District board President Monica Garcia and others will gather at noon today for a rally and to open an office in East Los Angeles.

BILINGÜE: EN ESPAÑOL SIGUIENDO EL TEXTO INGLES.
(SPANISH TEXT FOLLOWS ENGLISH TEXT).

Friday, September 26, 2008 – 39 Days Before Election 2008

This newsletter is intended to keep you posted on No On Prop 8 activities and on themes related to the Latino community. To unsubscribe, please email jangulo@noonprop8.com.

COMING SOON! SPANISH SECTION OF NO ON PROP 8 WEBSITE

The campaign will launch a Spanish-language section on the website within the next several days to serve its Spanish-language audience.The website will include frequently asked questions, downloadable fliers and other promotional materials, links to articles and multimedia, contact information to serve Spanish-language speakers, and testimonials such as the one provided by Angeles and Yamileth below. Stay tuned.

“Angeles Dominguez and Yamileth Escobar, a couple of three years, were thrilled to be legally wed in California. “We recognize marriage creates stability,” they said. “It provides an opportunity for us to build stable, empowering and respectful relationships. In getting married, we felt we were fulfilling our commitment to the mutual love and care we both felt.”

BILINGUAL MESSAGE TRAINING – TUESDAY, SEP. 30, 2008, 7-9:30 PM

LOCATION: GLAAD’s Los Angeles offices, 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90036
RSVP: email Monica Trasandes at trasandes@glaad.org by Noon this Monday, Sept 29

Each training will include a presentation of the speakers manual, an overview of campaign messaging, and breakout sessions where participants will have an opportunity to practice and receive personalized feedback. The bilingual training, geared for those who will be speaking to Latina/o audiences in Spanish or English, will examine messaging specific to those audiences.

*We can accommodate 35 participants per training.
* Please also think about straight allies who can be good spokespeople for the campaign.

Please email Monica Trasandes at GLAAD if you have any questions.

JOINT LEGISLATIVE HEARING – THURSDAY OCT 2, 2008, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Next week, State Senators and Assemblymembers will be hearing from expert witnesses and select members of the public to learn more about how Proposition 8 will affect the State of California. Come to the Ronald Reagn Building Auditorium in Downtown Los Angeles (300 S. Spring St) and show your opposition to Proposition 8 and let our state elected leaders know that eliminating the fundamental right to marriage is wrong for California. Please contact Javier Angulo at jangulo@noonprop8.com for more information.

NO ON PROP 8 ON UNIVISION’s VOZ Y VOTO – SATURDAY, SEPT. 27

Olga Talamante of Chicana/Latina Foundation will speak on behalf of the No on Prop 8 on Univision’s statewide tv program Voz Y Voto. Every Saturday, Voz Y Voto presents an issue that is important to the Latino community and this week, they will discuss several California propositions, including Prop 8. Olga will debate against a Prop 8 proponent in this first major Spanish-language program that highlights this proposition. Below are the program times for three regions. Check your local Univision listings for Voz Y Voto air times.

LOS ANGELES COUNTDOWN KICKOFF A SUCCESS

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi joined a crowd of several hundred on Saturday to celebrate the opening of our 7th Los Angeles area field office and the 45-day countdown to Election Day. Filling up the courtyard of The Village at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, the crowd -- led by Center CEO and No on Prop 8 Executive Committee member Lorri L. Jean -- cheered as both of these prominent straight allies exhorted the crowd to leave no stone unturned between now and the election in order to ensure marriage rights are protected for the future. More than 100 attendees then joined a super phone bank to talk to voters.

NO ON PROP 8 EAST LOS ANGELES OFFICE OPENING SOON

The No on Prop 8 campaign will soon launch a field office in the traditional Latino communities of East Los Angeles. In partnership with HONOR PAC, a Latino LGBT political action committee which is sponsoring the campaign office, the No on Prop 8 campaign will target Latino voters in the region and the office is expected to specialize in bilingual voter contact across the Los Angeles region. A press event and rally will open the doors to the East Los Angeles office within the next two weeks. Stay posted on No On Prop 8 communication to receive the latest update.

LATEST LATINO ENDORSEMENTS

The following Latino organizations have endorsed the NO ON PROP 8 Campaign this week:

If your organization or elected official has not endorsed, please download an Endorsement Form and submit it via fax to the campaign. CLICK HERE to review the complete list of endorsements. While some elected officials and organizations think they have already endorsed, if there name is not on the list, then they have not completed the No on Prop 8 form required to be listed as an official endorsement.

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE ENDORSES NO ON PROP 8

The usually conservative San Diego Union Tribune issued a strong editorial statement in opposition to Proposition 8 this week, stating that it would be wrong to repeal anyone’s basic rights and supporting the idea that all couples deserve the dignity and respect that comes with marriage. You can read the entire piece here: http://www.noonprop8.com/news/articles?id=0154

NO ON PROP 8 AIRS FIRST TV AD

Since last Monday, Californians have seen Sam and Julia Thoron offer a heartfelt message about their daughter, Liz, whose right to marry the person she loves will be eliminated if Prop 8 passes. Go to http://www.NoOnProp8.com/thethorons to view the TV ad. The other side is expected to release their ad’s next week and – undoubtedly - filled with lies and distortions about Prop 8. Our ads tell the real story -- how real families will be hurt if Prop 8 passes.

LATINO RELATED ARTICLES ON PROP 8:

Levi's joining to defeat Calif. gay marriage ban: AP, Sept. 26, 2008

Pide revertir decisión de Suprema Corte de CA: La Opinion, Sept. 22, 2008

Brad donó 100 mil a causa gay: Univision.com Sept 18, 2007

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions regarding any of the items above, you may contact Javier C. Angulo, Deputy Political Director in Southern California at jangulo@noonprop8.com, or if you are in Northern California/Bay Area, you may contact Lisa Williams at LisaLWilliams@aol.com.

EN ESPAÑOL

Viernes, 26 de septiembre, 2008 – 39 Dias Antes del Dia de Votación Elección 2008

Este informe se propone mantenerlo/a al tanto de las actividades de la campaña No a la Prop 8 y temas relacionados con la comunidad Latina. Para no ser incluido en esta lista, por favor diríjase a jangulo@noonprop8.com.

¡PRONTO LLEGA! SECCION EN ESPAÑOL EN EL SITIO WEB NO A LA PROP 8

La campaña lanzará una sección en español en su sitio web entre los siguientes días para informar a su audiencia que prefiere la información en español. El sitio web va incluir información sobre las preguntas más frecuentes, volantes y folletos, Iinks para artículos de prensa y otros medios de comunicación, información para comunicarse con la campaña, y testimonios proporcionados por parejas delmismo sexo, como el que proporcionó la pareja Angeles y Yamileth en esta sección.

“Angeles Dominguez y Yamileth Escobar, una pareja de tres años, estaban felices de poder casarse legalmente en California. “Reconocemos que el matrimonio nos estabiliza y nos da la oportunidad de tener una relación con dignidad y respeto. En casarnos, nosotras sentimos que estábamos cumpliendo con nuestro compromiso mutuó de amor y protección.”

ENTRENAMIENTO BILINGUE DE COMUNICACIÓN – MARTES, 30 de SEPT. 2008, 7-9:30 PM

LOCAL: Oficinas de GLAAD en Los Ángeles, 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90036

ESTACIONAMIENTO: En la calle.

RSVP: mande correo electrónico a Monica Trasandes al trasandes@glaad.org antes del Mediodía este Lunes, 29 de Septiembre

Cada entrenamiento incluirá una presentación de nuestro guía de comunicación, un repaso sobre el mensaje central de la campaña, y grupo de desarrollo para que participantes puedan practicar y recibir ayuda personalizada y ir mejorando sus capacidades de ser portavoz para la campaña. El entrenamiento bilingüe, dirigido a aquellos que van estar hablando con grupos Latinos/as en Español o Inglés, analizará como aproximarse específicamente con este grupos.

* Podemos incluir a 35 participantes.

*Por favor, invite y traiga a personas heterosexuales simpatizantes que serian buenos portavoces para la campaña.

Por favor mande un correo electrónico a Monica Trasandes de GLAAD si tiene cualquiera pregunta.

AUDIENCIA LEGISLATIVA CO-PARTIDARIA – JUEVES 2 de OCTUBRE, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

La próxima semana, Senadores y Asambleístas de California reunirán expertos y miembros escogidos del público para aprender más acerca de cómo la Proposición 8 afectaría el estado de California. Vengan al auditorio del Edificio Ronald Reagan en el Centro (Downtown) de Los Angeles (300 S. Spring St) y muestre su desacuerdo con la Proposición 8 y dejenles saber a los lideres elegidos estatales que la eliminación de derechos fundamentales en California es simplemente injusto. Por favor comuniquese con Javier Angulo al jangulo@noonprop8.com para mas información.

NO A LA PROP 8 EN PROGRAMA “VOZ Y VOTO “DE UNIVISION – SÁBADO 27 DE SEPT

Olga Talamante de la Fundación Chicana/Latina va hablar a favor de la campaña No A La Proposición 8 en el programa de política estatal de Univisión “Voz y Voto”. Cada sábado el programa Voz y Voto presenta un tema importante a la comunidad Latina y esta semana van a discutir varias proposiciones en California, incluyendo la Proposición 8. Olga va a debatir con un vocero a favor de la Proposición 8 en lo que será el primer gran programa en español que se enfocará en esta proposición. Estos son los tiempos que pasa el programa en tres regiones. Confirme con su programación local de Univisión para los tiempos que pasa Voz y Voto en su área.

LA CELEBRACION DE CONTEO EN LOS ANGELES ES GRAN EXITO

El Alcalde de Los Ángeles Antonio Villaraigosa y el Teniente Gobernante John Garamendi se unieron a una multitud de cientos de personas el sábado para celebrar la inauguración de nuestra séptima oficina en el área de Los Ángeles y el conteo regresivo de los 45 días hasta la fecha electoral. Llenando el patio de The Village del Centro Gay and Lésbico de Los Ángeles, la multitud – dirigida por Lorri L. Jean, la directora general del Centro y miembra del Comité Ejecutivo de la Campaña No a la Proposición 8 – se animaba mientras estos dos simpatizantes prominentes exhortaban a la multitud que no dejen ningún rincón sin cubrir de hoy al día de la elección para asegurar que el derecho al matrimonio civil sea protegido para el futuro. Más de cien personas que llegaron para la celebración se quedaron para un súper esfuerzo telefónico para hablar con votantes.

NO A LA PROP 8 ABRE OFICINA EN EL ESTE DE LOS ANGELES PRÓXIMAMENTE

La campaña No A La Prop 8 estará empezando esfuerzos en las comunidades tradicionalmente Latinas del Este de Los Ángeles. En colaboración con HONOR PAC, una comisión Latina LGBT de acción política que esta patrocinando la oficina, la campaña No A La Proposición 8 se dedicará a los votantes latinos en la región y la oficina se especializará en el contacto bilingüe a través la región de Los Ángeles. Un evento de prensa y una manifestación inaugurarán las puertas de la oficina del Este de Los Ángeles en las próximas dos semanas. Manténganse informados con la campaña No A La Prop 8 para recibir la información de última hora.

APOYANTES LATINOS RECIENTES

PERIÓDICO DE SAN DIEGO CAMPAÑA NO A LA PROP 8

El periódico típicamente conservador de San Diego, el San Diego Union Tribune publicó un editorial declarando su fuerte oposición a la Proposición 8 esta semana, anunciando que seria injusto el revocarle los derechos básicos a cualquiera y apoyando la idea que todas parejas merecen la dignidad y el respeto que acompaña el matrimonio. Puede leer el artículo entero aquí: http://www.noonprop8.com/news/articles?id=0154

NO A LA PROP 8 ESTRENA PRIMER ANUNCIO COMO PARTE DE LA CAMPAÑA

La campaña No A La Proposición 8 les ganó a los partidarios de la Prop 8 en estrenar un anuncio por casi una semana. Comenzando hoy, la gente de California verá el mensaje sincero que ofrecen Sam y Julia Thoron directo de sus corazones acerca de su hija, Liz, cuyo derecho a casarse con la persona que ella ama seria eliminado si se aprueba la Prop 8. Vaya a http://www.NoOnProp8.com/thethorons para ver el anuncio. Se espera que la oposición estrenara su anuncio la próxima semana y – sin duda – estará lleno de mentiras y distorsiones acerca la Prop. 8. Nuestro anuncios contarán la historia verdadera – de como familias verdaderas serán afectadas si la Prop 8 se aprueba.

ARTÍCULOS LATINOS RELACIONADOS CON LA PROP 8:

Levi's joining to defeat Calif. gay marriage ban: AP, Sept. 26, 2008

Pide revertir decisión de Suprema Corte de CA: La Opinion, Sept. 22, 2008

Brad donó 100 mil a causa gay: Univision.com Sept 18, 2007

COMUNIQUESE CON NOSOTROS

Si usted tiene cualquier pregunta sobre cualquier de los temas escrito arriba, se puede comunicar con Javier C. Angulo, Director Diputado de la Política al jangulo@noonprop8.com.

Poll: Gays gaining greater acceptance among Californians

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Gays and lesbians are gaining greater acceptance in the state, although about half of all Californians still oppose same-sex marriage, according to a new statewide poll released Wednesday.

The Field Poll showed that 43 percent of Californians approve of legalizing same-sex marriage, while 51 percent disapprove. The split is similar among registered voters, with 44 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving.

Those findings were unchanged from polls in 2003 and 2004, researchers said.

However, only 40 percent of Californians support amending the U.S. Constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman, while 50 percent do not. Among registered voters, the same percentage support it; 52 percent do not.

When the question was further broken down, one-third (32 percent) of Californians favored legalizing same-sex marriage, one-third (32 percent) favored allowing civil unions, but not marriage and one-third (32 percent) favored no legal recognition for such couples at all.

Meanwhile, general public opinion toward homosexuality seems to be improving.

Thirty-two percent of residents believe homosexual relations are always wrong - a drop from 1997, when 45 percent believed that.

Most Californians also support anti-discrimination policies toward gays and lesbians, such as allowing them to serve in the military (67 percent approval), prohibiting job discrimination against them (59 percent) and allowing such couples to adopt (55 percent.)

Researchers interviewed 1,000 adults, including 680 registered voters, by telephone from Feb. 12-26 in English and Spanish. Results from the overall survey have a sampling error rate of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points, while results from the registered voter sample have a sampling error rate of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

1/18/05

Openly gay police commissioner begins his term

Newly appointed Police Commissioner David Campos attended his first commission meeting this week, a significant event on many counts as an openly gay Latino man.

"Like many people in the city, I relate to two communities. It's a very important perspective to have. Within the Latino community I think it will be important to have the voice of someone who is openly gay, and within the LGBT community it's important to have the voice of someone who is also a person of color," Campos told the Bay Area Reporter, adding that people with a variety of cultural ties "understand better that there is a lot of commonality there; not withstanding some the cultural influences, we're all in this together."

Campos, 35, was one of two commissioners recently appointed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors; he fills the seat left vacant by Peter Keane, who resigned in October. He will serve the six months remaining in Keane's term, he said, then be eligible for reappointment.

The Guatemalan-born Campos, an attorney who serves as general counsel for the San Francisco Unified School District, is now one of two Latinos on the Police Commission including recently appointed Petra deJesus who replaces Gayle Orr-Smith. He is also the second LGBT person on the police commission in addition to Theresa Sparks, a transgender woman.

Representing two minority communities at a time when those communities are often seen as at odds or under attack – sometimes from within SFPD itself – could present many challenges, although Campos said he sees those challenges as opportunities. He plans to ensure, for instance, that the department recruits more minority officers, as "the department cannot do its job unless it has connections to the communities it serves," and he thinks he can act as a bridge builder when controversial situations arise, as they did earlier this month upon the release of reportedly homophobic, racist, and sexist videotapes produced by an officer at the Bayview station.

"Without pre-judging the content of those videos I do think we have a responsibility as a commission to listen to concerns and find ways we can address those concerns," said Campos. "One thing is clear: without having those community relationships intact we are not going to be able to deal with this homicide rate. It is unacceptably high and we are going to need to have the respect of the community in order to address it."

The city's homicide rate is at the highest it has been in years, with 95 incidents reported for 2005 as of December 21. Plans put forth by city officials to deal with the crimes include community-based policing, where officers become more like members of the community. Campos said he would always be aware of the fact that certain communities have had more difficult relationships with law enforcement, even if some examples demonstrate success over those obstacles. "I am appreciative of the fact that the LGBT community over the years has not always received the best treatment from police, even though a lot has changed to make situation better," he said, adding that he was looking forward to working with Sparks and other LGBT community members as part of his job. "It's important for us to be represented, given our history, and I certainly will do my best to make sure that happens." –12-2005 SF NEWS

1/18/05

GLAAD APPLAUDS FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S RENEWED COMMITMENT TO LGBT MARKET

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14, 2005 -- The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today applauded Ford Motor Company's letter declaring its commitment to reaching the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) market.

Ford's "Letter to National Gay and Lesbian Organizations," available at http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=22205, puts to rest widespread public and media speculation that Ford had capitulated to the demands of a radical anti-gay group called American Family Association, which had threatened a boycott of Ford for its outreach to and support of the LGBT community.

"Ford did the right thing here, both for its brand and for its bottom line," said Neil G. Giuliano, president of GLAAD. "Their message today signals a strong commitment by Ford to fairness, to inclusion, and to a quality relationship with our community."

"It's important for corporations and media companies alike to understand that these anti-gay groups with the deceptive names do not speak for America's families," Giuliano said. "And when 90 percent of Americans support employment non-discrimination for gays and lesbians, when 80 percent support military service by gay Americans, when six out of 10 Americans favor legal protections for gay and lesbian couples, it's clear that Ford's policies are in line with the values and the inclusion that most Americans support."

On Dec. 12, a coalition of community organizations (including GLAAD; the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; the Human Rights Campaign; the National Black Justice Coalition; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); the National Youth Advocacy Coalition; and the Triangle Foundation) met with senior Ford executives in Washington, D.C., to discuss the LGBT community's concerns about those reports and request a statement clarifying Ford's policies.

A broad coalition of local and national LGBT civil rights organizations, including GLAAD, also released the following joint statement applauding Ford's commitment to the LGBT market:

JOINT STATEMENT:
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER ORGANIZATIONS COMMEND FORD MOTOR
Hail "Reaffirmation of Commitment to Our Community and American Values"

Coalition Statement

"We welcome today's statement from Ford Motor Company and commend their firm stance in support of inclusion. It is an unequivocal reaffirmation of Ford's historic commitment to our community and the core American values of fairness and equality. Moreover, it is conclusive proof of what Ford leaders have repeatedly assured us -- that there never was any deal with anti-LGBT organizations concerning Ford's support for our community.

We are proud to be back in gear with Ford and look forward to working with them in the years ahead."

AMERICAblog.com
Commercial Closet Association
Family Pride
Freedom to Marry
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Human Rights Campaign
Mautner Project, the National Lesbian Health Organization
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (NYC)
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Minority AIDS Council
National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC)
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
Pride at Work
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Triangle Foundation
World Congress of GLBT Jews: Keshet Ga'ava

Background

The controversy erupted on December 1 when the American Family Association (AFA) officially announced it was dropping its threat of a boycott, saying Ford "heard our concerns; they are acting on our concerns. We are pleased with where we are." The next day a Ford spokesperson appeared to confirm an agreement by saying the company would stop advertising its Jaguar and Land Rover brands in gay publications. AFA is an extremist anti-LGBT organization that routinely threatens boycotts against LGBT-supportive companies, television programs it does not like, or even cartoon characters such as SpongeBob.

On December 5, eighteen leading LGBT organizations issued a statement calling upon Ford to disavow any agreement with AFA, to reaffirm its commitment to the LGBT community and to meet with the LGBT community and resolve the issue. As a result of that statement, Ford Motor executives met with LGBT community representatives in Washington, DC on December 12. There, Ford said it would issue a statement based on the topics discussed and the comprehensive statement released today was the result.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

1/18/05

California Voters Get No Break from Election Cycle

By Don Thompson, The Associated Press
Published: December 26, 2005

SACRAMENTO—After six statewide elections in four years, California is beginning to seem like it’s in a perpetual election cycle. And 2006 will give voters no break.

Through a June primary and a November general election, voters will choose a governor, decide races for seven other statewide offices and select 100 members of the 120-seat state Legislature. And that’s not even counting the congressional elections.

If heads were spinning over the eight initiatives on last November’s special election ballot, they’ll be dizzy at the number of potential initiatives next year. More than 50 proposals already are in circulation, including ones to expand preschool education, boost cigarette taxes to pay for health care, require that parents be notified when minors seek abortions, promote the use of alternative fuels, and ban gay marriage and domestic partners’ benefits.

State lawmakers can put their own proposals on the ballot and are likely to do so as they seek more money for libraries, schools, roads, housing, earthquake retrofits for hospitals, high-speed rail and flood control.

Whether voters will be in the mood to approve government reforms or higher taxes was thrown into question in November. They defeated all eight measures on the Nov. 8 special election ballot, including four promoted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“You have an angry group of voters. They are not happy campers,” said Barbara O’Connor, who gauged voter sentiment through focus groups as director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and the Media at California State University, Sacramento.

A post-election survey found that California voters support the initiative process but prefer that lawmakers and the governor seek solutions first, said pollster Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California.

“They’re still looking for education, fiscal, political and government reform in California. They don’t think government in California is working,” Baldassare said.

If lawmakers fail to take the initiative on major issues this year, Baldassare said, voters are “going to be looking to make changes in elected officials next year.”

Only three incumbent statewide officeholders are seeking re-election: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, school Superintendent Jack O’Connell and Secretary of State Bruce McPherson. That leaves five open offices, with Republicans’ chances partly depending on how well Schwarzenegger appeals to independent and crossover voters in the Democrat-leaning state.

Two Democrats _ state Treasurer Phil Angelides and Controller Steve Westly _ will face off in the June primary for the right to campaign against Schwarzenegger. Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat who ran in the 2003 gubernatorial recall election, is likely to make a run for insurance commissioner.

Among legislators facing term limits and officeholders seeking a higher profile, the jockeying for the 2006 elections is like a game of political chess.

State Sen. Joe Dunn, for example, first announced he would run for attorney general, only to be pushed aside when Oakland mayor and former Gov. Jerry Brown said he would seek the office. Dunn, D-Santa Ana, then said he would run for state treasurer but was forced to change plans within days when Attorney General Bill Lockyer jumped into the race.

Dunn settled on controller, the only race without a well-known candidate.
“There’s no question that you have to balance one’s wishes with reality in pursuing a career of long-term public service,” Dunn said.

Four state senators are fighting for the Democratic nominations for lieutenant governor and secretary of state.
“This is the legacy of term limits _ everybody against everybody else,” said political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the University of Southern California. “There’s just no way of knowing how the election will shape up.”

Voters have little hope of dramatically reshaping the state legislature, where both houses are controlled by Democrats. That means most races will be decided in the June primary.

Of the 100 legislative contests, 54 are for open seats where the incumbent is not running. Only eight of those are considered swing districts, four in the Senate and four in the Assembly. All but one of the eight seats lean Democratic.

Yet voters’ rejection last month of Proposition 77, which would have stripped lawmakers of their power to draw their own political districts, indicates they may not be angered over the current political alignment, said Mark DiCamillo, director of the nonpartisan Field Poll.

Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are now seeking a compromise redistricting method to put before voters. They also are pledging bipartisan cooperation, which would be a marked change from 2005, when the special election created a bitter atmosphere in Sacramento.

“There’s a very brief window to get things done, and there’s a lot of work to do, the way voters see it,” O’Connor said. “They need to work on substantial projects _ not itsy bitsy bills.”

1/18/05

New Survey Shows 57% U.S. Hispanics are Pro-Life, 62% Oppose Gay ‘Marriage’

By Gudrun Schultz

WASHINGTON, DC, United States, January 9, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) –The 2005 survey by the Washington-based Latino Coalition reported that 57 percent of the Hispanic community says they are pro-life, and support legislation requiring parental notification for girls under 18 seeking an abortion.

Only 27 percent identified themselves as pro-choice, and 36 percent said they opposed parental notification before an under-age girl can obtain an abortion.

62 percent of the Hispanic community is opposed to gay ‘marriage’, and only 14.5 percent said they would strongly support gay ‘marriage’, according to the survey.

Almost three-quarters of respondents identified themselves as Roman Catholic.

The Latino Coalition (TLC) is an independent organization that works to support development of the Hispanic communities, monitoring public policy that affects the Hispanics at federal, state and local levels, and reporting on the impact of policy and legislation.

“This survey has become the most reliable and accurate study on Hispanic political and consumer behavior in the U.S.,” said TLC President Robert Deposada, in a press release.

The survey, released in Washington Jan. 5, reported the responses of 1,000 adult Hispanics surveyed Dec. 10-13, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

To access the National Latino Survey, go to: http://www.thelatinocoalition.com/.

11/07/05

LOS ANGELES QUEER STUDIES CONFERENCE 2005

10/26/06

After winning big, Mendez gears up for City Council

Although she won a seven-person primary race for City Council District 2 with an impressive one-third of the vote on Sept. 13, Rosie Mendez said last week she was never overconfident of victory until all the numbers were in. And while still smarting from some of the negative campaigning of which she was the target, she said she’s putting it behind her and getting ready for the job ahead.

Mendez and supporters celebrated her victory at Opaline, an Avenue A nightclub owned by David McWater, chairperson of Community Board 3 and a longtime friend of Mendez.

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Victory in the Heart of Texas

Lupe Valdez made history when she was elected sheriff -- now she's a nationwide sensation

By Sean Bugg
Published on 03/10/2005
Latina Style Magazine

As a small child growing up in a poor family in San Antonio, Lupe Valdez remembers her father picking through the fruits and vegetables thrown out from the local farmer's market, cutting out the bad parts and saving the good.

"We were a very proud family," says Valdez of her father's hard working approach to their lives. "If we don't need help that badly, let's not take it.... It's the opportunity -- sometimes it's not what you're looking for, but you make the best of what you've got."

That same attitude toward life -- work hard, do right and make the best out of what life gives you -- is what helped Valdez make history last November when she was elected sheriff of Dallas County, Texas. And it was no small bit of history: Valdez, 57, is the first woman, the first minority, and the first openly gay person to be elected to that office.

In the months since, her life has become a whirlwind with the demands of both the job -- she now runs a metropolitan-area jail system with around 2,000 employees -- and the laudatory attention that comes with her historic win. She'll be in D.C. next Thursday, March 17, for "Sheriff and the City," an event for the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

During the campaign, her opponent attempted to make an issue of her sexual orientation by publicizing the financial support she received from the Victory Fund, the national organization that supports gay and lesbian candidates for political offices. But even in a conservative Texas district, that path of attack never gained much traction.

"If you work hard and you're halfway intelligent, it's easy to get past that," she says of opposition based on sexual orientation. "I think people don't notice what color you are or who you are when you're helping them."

Valdez says she was helped in large part by her insistence on maintaining a positive tone in the campaign even as other candidates delved further and further into the negative. And while her campaign was summed up by the media as "underrated, underfinanced underdogs," it didn't faze her. She directed her staff, "Let's work like we're losing and we want to win."

Her start on the criminal justice career path wasn't a planned one. After her young adult stint in the military, she found herself in Kansas City at the employment commission looking for a job. They told her that since she was just out of the military she had 18 months before she needed to find a job -- she could go on unemployment while she waited.

That wasn't acceptable. She told them she needed a job then -- you don't take help when you don't truly need it. The job that was available at the time? Jailer. Valdez accepted.

Since that time she obtained a master's degree in criminology and criminal justice, and worked in both the state and federal justice systems. When she made her decision to run for sheriff, Valdez was a senior agent with the Department of Homeland Security.

Committing to run for office was a difficult decision. Under the Hatch Act, Valdez couldn't work as a federal employee while engaging in political activity, so she took an early retirement, sacrificing her salary and some of her retirement money.

"I gave up something that I enjoyed doing, so there was giving up [already done] when I made this decision," she says. It was a decision reached after days of careful consideration, in which the opportunity to be an example to other minorities and to blaze a trail for others to follow won out. Says Valdez: "I think at some point you just have to make a decision that some things are worth a certain loss."

Valdez didn't fully come to terms with her own sexuality until later in life, and her spirituality played a large role. "I was over thirty when I accepted being a lesbian," she says, when she came to Dallas and a large gay and lesbian church. "I wouldn't be able to accept [it] if I didn't know that God loved me anyway. I want to do the right thing in all things in life."

Valdez stresses that her personal spirituality isn't something that translates into religious strictures that should shape the lives of others. As for advice to other gays and lesbians considering running for public office, or just being active in their communities, she says, "Be yourself. If you're not as good as you want people to know you, then change. Get that good. But don't try to pretend you're something that you're not."

Sheriff Lupe Valdez will be honored at "Sheriff and the City," Thursday, March 17, at David Greggory Restaurant, 2030 M Street NW. Individual tickets are $35. RSVP at www.victoryfund.org/events or by calling 202-842-7314.

September 08, 2005

People who identify as gay or lesbian, men of Korean descent and active-duty military personnel smoke tobacco at higher rates in California than the average 15.4% rate among the general population, according to a study released on Tuesday by the Department of Health Services, the Los Angeles Times reports (Becerra, Los Angeles Times, 9/7).

The study reflects the findings of five population-based studies conducted in 2003 and 2004 (Griffith, Sacramento Bee, 9/7). DHS researchers and researchers from California universities compiled the data using mail and online surveys for military personnel and telephone interviews for the other populations.

The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community reported a 30.4% smoking rate.

More than 25% of Korean men surveyed smoked, a rate 46% higher than for California men overall, according to the study. About 50% of Korean households in California were smoke-free, compared with about 77% of other households.

Unlike Korean and Chinese men, who had lower smoking rates the longer they lived in the U.S., women of those nationalities had higher smoking rates the longer they lived in the U.S, the study found.

Meanwhile, the smoking rate among Asian Indians was only 5.5%, likely because the average member of that community had a postgraduate degree, according to William McCarthy, adjunct associate professor of public health at the University of California-Los Angeles.

The smoking rate among military personnel was higher than the average. At nearly 27%, Marines "by far" had the highest tobacco use rate in the military, the study found (Los Angeles Times, 9/7).

CaliforniaHealthline is published daily for California HealthCare Foundation by
The Advisory Board Company. © 2004 The Advisory Board Company.  All Rights Reserved.

Hate Crimes in State Decline

But attorney general's report says incidents against blacks, Latinos and Asians rose in '04.

From Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — A new state study found that the overall number of hate crimes in California dropped 5.5% last year to the lowest number in a decade, but crimes against blacks, Latinos and Asians increased.

Hate crimes fell from 1,491 in 2003 to 1,409 in 2004, the third consecutive year the numbers have dropped, according to a report released Friday by Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer.

  "The numbers are coming down from the peak in 2001 after the terrorist attacks," said Robin Schwanke of the Department of Justice, adding that the numbers mirror the general decline in violent crime. "I don't know exactly why, but it's good they're decreasing."

The study found that anti-white hate crimes decreased 28% from 85 to 61; anti-gay crimes fell 22% from 337 to 263; and religion-motivated hate crimes dropped 7% from 220 to 205.

Crimes against people of Middle Eastern descent showed the greatest decline, dropping 35% from 161 to 105, according to the report. That number had risen dramatically after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The study reported 500 anti-black hate crimes, up 8% from 2003. Crimes against Asian/Pacific Islanders rose 4.6% to 69. Anti-Latino crimes jumped 34% to 138.

Anti-black hate crimes make up 35% of the total.

"Because of 9/11, there was such a degree of hate crimes against Muslims that African Americans were knocked off the pedestal," said Rick Callender, president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley branch of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People.

"It is unfortunate to see that we have once again regained that post," he said.

The study, called "Hate Crime in California 2004," includes reported crimes based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or physical or mental disability. The study provides statistics on reported incidents, victims, prosecutions and convictions.

At least 60% of the incidents are crimes based on race, ethnicity and national origin.

Los Angeles County reported the highest number of hate crimes with 501, followed by San Francisco with 144.

State prosecutors filed 277 hate crime cases last year. Of those, 139 resulted in a hate crime conviction and 103 resulted in other convictions.

Bridging the Gap

Huntington Park's Gay Latino Mayor Creates a Community of Tolerance

By Matthew Marin

The mayor of Huntington Park, who grew up in southeast Los Angeles, says he understands the stigma of being a gay Latino.

When Juan Noguez was 18 years old, his boyfriend revealed his sexual orientation to his mother, who would not accept it because of her cultural upbringing. She asked him to leave her home, though Noguez later reconciled with her.

"This is a very sensitive issue in the community," Noguez, 40, told Frontiers.

Today, Noguez is striving to serve as a role model for LGBT youths and provide HIV/AIDS services to the community. In the process, he has earned the respect of his constituents in a culturally and religiously traditional Latino area.

Noguez, who became a member of the Huntington Park City Council in 2003, is presently serving a four-year term. Last year, he was appointed to serve a one-year term as mayor by his fellow board members.

Since taking office, Noguez has offered encouragement, advice, and information to gay and lesbian residents who are not out to their families and friends.

"We've made it through the rain, and you'll make it through the rain," he said. "I want to tell the kids of our community to be true to themselves."

In addition to youth outreach, Noguez helped establish funding last December for the Southeast Los Angeles HIV/AIDS Access Network. Funded by the Los Angeles County Office of AIDS and Public Policy, SELA provides critically needed education, prevention, testing, and care services.

Noguez had been alarmed by the increase of HIV infections in the community, with nearly 1,000 new cases over the past two years. According to the Office of AIDS and Public Policy, there have been 183 AIDS cases in Huntington Park alone in the last decade.

The mayor expressed his concerns to health officials and elected leaders last year that HIV-testing clinics outside the city were not accessible to residents, many of whom rely on public transportation.

"We're very grateful for the money, but we need greater funding," he said. "We want to teach the youth that we can prevent the spread of this virus."

Aside from his AIDS activism, Noguez has also met informally with citizens of Huntington Park who are coming to terms with their sexual orientation. About 96% of the population in Huntington Park is Latino, and many follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, which forbids same-sex intimacy.

While Noguez has made a strong effort to support the LGBT community, he has also led improvement efforts in several areas for the city, such as public transportation, historic preservation, education, housing, health services, and local businesses.

"These are serious issues, and I'm trying to address them as a gay mayor," he said, jokingly. "I'm the mayor of Huntington Park, who happens to be gay."

Noguez said his constituents have been very supportive of his work and accepting of his sexual orientation. He said many of them respect his commitment to community outreach.

"People have been willing to lend a hand," he said. "The response has been very positive. I'm going to continue [doing] the best that I can for all of my community."

Southeast Los Angeles has also been ready to embrace LGBT people as members of the community, Noguez said. He successfully spearheaded efforts to hold the first gay Latino rodeo at the neighboring Pico Rivera Sports Arena in August. A bar in Huntington Park recently started dedicating Thursday nights to gay patrons.

The mayor also said the city needs its own LGBT resource center to accommodate residents, who would have to travel to centers outside the area to receive necessary services.

"We are your community," he said. "You don't have to leave the area to go to West Hollywood or Hollywood. Our community is here for you."