just out ▼
Travel the w o rld ,
b u t c a ll us first...
1 . I M S ▼ 13
tribe productions presents
libttantes RSäall
Educational outreach
“a cotillion with a twist”
Grass-roots group continues catering to small towns
and rural areas, teaching communities the
skills they need to organize
▼
COMP A NY
by Inga Sorensen
2 3 2 -5 9 4 4
L
ment officials.
ike many groups, Northwest Speak
“I think that incident really galvanized the
Out Project was bom in response to
community
in Montana, and we certainly want to
Ballot Measure 9, an anti-sexual-mi
assist citizens as much as they need us to, says
nority initiative that Oregonians voted
Manning. “I also want people to know that
down in 1992.
NWSOP only goes where we are invited. If activ
In its earliest form, the project was the speak
ists in a community feel we have something to
ers’ bureau for the No on 9 campaign; following
offer, then we’ll go. We don’t tread on people’s
the election, the group transformed into the Or
toes.”
egon Speak Out Project, an educational outreach
That, in fact, is one of the major underpinnings
program of Equity Foundation, which assisted
of NWSOP’s philosophy. During the Measure 9
residents statewide with human rights organiz
campaign, the No on 9 coalition was widely
ing. Today, NWSOP has its own independent
viewed as a Portland-centric organization, which
nonprofit status and offers support to residents in
spawned dissention and resentment among many
a handful of western states who are organizing
activists. OSOP’s—and now NWSOP’s— primary
against anti-sexual-minority efforts.
focus was to ensure that citizens in small towns
“It’s been great to watch this organization
and rural areas have the
grow over the years. It’s very
skills they need to organize
satisfying to know that we’re N O T t h W © S t
within their own communi
able to assist citizens through
ties.
out the region to organize and
“We don’t tell people
build stronger communities,”
what to do,” says Manning.
, says NWSOP co-founder Ed
A re lativ ely new
Reeves, a Portland attorney.
NWSOP
feature is the In
Though the structure and
formation Resource Team,
scope óf the group has shifted
which provides information
over time, its goal remains
related to sexual minorities
steadfast: to provide support
to organizations throughout
to citizens in communities
the Northwest that have his
across the land as they em
torically been underserved.
bark on human rights orga
The four basic projects IRT
nizing. NWSOP does so by
offers are resource packets,
providing informational bro
indexed letters to the editor,
chures and other educational
a rapid response network,
materials, as well as speaker
and an annotated bibliogra
and leadership trainings.
phy.
During the months lead
The informational pack
ing up to the Ballot Measure
ets include statistical infor
9 election, Reeves and other
mation, published studies,
project volunteers hosted
and newspaper and maga
workshops across Oregon,
zine articles relating to gay
where they taught the aver
men, lesbians and bisexu
age citizen (i.e., politic*! nov,
als. The packets are free and
ices) how to speak publicly
meant to be distributed, ed
about gay and lesbian issues
ited, replicated and shared
and make an overall differ
with others by community-
ence in their respective com
b ased
o rg an izatio n s.
munities.
NWSOP maintains a stock
The group, then OSOP,
of more than 120. sample
d istrib u ted inform ational ' P
f
O
letters.
m aterials, which included
An IRT subcommittee, meanwhile, is putting
sample letters to the editor, to instruct citizens
together an annotated bibliography dealing with
how to frame the debate.
specific subgroups within the sexual minorities
According to NWSOP co-chair Stephen Man
community (such as those based on color, class,
ning, the group currently distributes packets—
disability and age) to be used as a reference tool.
usually via electronic mail— which address is
According to Manning, NWSOP’s rapid re
sues critical to the sexual minorities community
sponse network will assist community-based or
(such as same-sex marriage) to citizens in Or
ganizations when they call with questions regard
egon, Idaho, Washington and Montana.
ing sexual minority issues.
In January, NWSOP volunteers developed a
"There are many exciting changes occurring
new training manual and course, entitled ‘T rain
with NWSOP,” says Manning, who is an immi
ing of Workshop Leaders,” which teaches partici
gration counselor with the nonprofit service orga-
pants how to handle difficult individuals, facili
tate adult learning, and tailor a message to an
nization Im m igration C ounseling Service.
“Though we cater to citizens in rural areas, we
audience.
want everyone to know there’s a place for them
Working with gay- and lesbian-rights advo
with this group.”
cates in Montana, NWSOP held two-day work
shops in Missoula and Billings in January and
Manning says NWSOP’s annual budget is
about $60,000, and the group depends on grants
February. Another training set for March was
and private donations for the bulk of its funding.
postponed after a national uproar ensued when a
Montana state lawmaker unsuccessfully intro
He says donations are always appreciated. For
more information, write to NWSOP at 921 SW
duced a bill that would have required individuals
Morrison St., Suite 506, Portland, OR 97205, or
convicted under the state’s “deviate sexual con
duct law”— which prohibits consensual same-sex
call 223-4992.
acts—to register for life with local law enforce-
j e c t
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