MIRAGE™ OASIS?
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SECURING
“ VOTE
A proactive organization builds community by meeting
candidates, talking issues and wielding political power
n 1996, southern Oregon activist Rosemary
Dunn Dalton invited to her home local and
state political candidates to speak with mem
bers of the sexual minorities community.
Voters were able to put faces to the names
on the ballot, and candidates had the opportu
nity to shake hands with an important group of
their constituents. From this simple gathering
sprung the influential Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender Caucus of Southern Oregon.
Six years later, “candidate night” continues
to he a major feature of this nonpartisan educa
tional organization that strives for equality
through political action. Based in Ashland, the
caucus today reaches out to more than 500
individuals across southern Oregon.
And its activities are expanding as well.
“We’re trying to he more than a political
organization,” caucus co-chairman Les Krainheal
explains. He hopes that educating the public
about the sexual minorities community will he a
proactive way to head off future anti-gay mea
sures, such as those initiated by Lon Mabon and
the Oregon Citizens Alliance.
He wants to replace myths and stereotypes
with knowledge and neighbors. “In the past, 1
think most of the gay and human rights organi
zations have been reacting to (Mahons) activi
ties rather than making people aware of who
and what we really are,” he says.
KrambeaFs partner, caucus treasurer Gordon
Owsley, adds: "There arc a lot of misconceptions
down here, particularly in the niral areas. We’re
hoping to overcome some of that.”
Toward this end, a new project in develop
ment at the caucus is a speakers bureau.
The organization will draw on its member
ship network of professionals willing to speak
to area groups. Prior to the program’s launch
next spring, each will receive training on the .
caucus’ position on current political issues and
candidates as well as how best to represent the
overall sexual minorities community, especially
to clubs and organizations outside Ashland.
“Ashland is a microcosm of gayncss in the
valley," Owsley admits.
“But,” Krambeal counters, "the gay commu
nity works and lives throughout the valley.”
So, throughout the Rogue Valley they go,
with personal lives and volunteer efforts often
overlapping. For instance, the couple often
represent the caucus at other meetings, such
as the Ashland Cham ber of Commerce. Per
haps more importantly, they make a signifi-
and the Oregon Statewide Equal Rights Alliance
toward goals of policy and social change.
The new resource center will focus on social
activities and offer a lounge, meeting space and
library. More importantly, it will have a soon-to-
be-hired paid staff director to axmJinate its
events on behalf of students. The physical loca
tion has yet to be identified, but the grand open
ing is set for Oct. 11, National
Coming Out Day.
G row th has been both a
positive and a negative reflec
tion of campus life. Student
involvem ent in the union
now numbers some 500,
dem onstrating acceptance
among the academic commu
nity and a growing comfort
level for queer or questioning
individuals.
O n the other hand, Leitner
observes, the organization’s
mission of diminishing preju
dice, discrimination, violence
and oppression is still meaning
ful and just as important as
ever to cultivate an open and
accepting academic environment.
“We still have hate crimes happening," she
says. “We still have people using derogatory
language and maybe not even realizing they’re
using derogatory language because there’s still
ignorance.”
Stories of hate crimes and negative experi
ences are common among students who live in
EXPANDING
™‘MIND
Queer students launch resource center at Southern
Oregon University while continuing hands-on activism
exual minority students at Southern
Oregon University in Ashland will
have an alternative space to call their
own this fall when the Lesbian, Bisexu
al, Gay, Trans and Allies Student U nion opens
the doors of its new Queer Resource Center. For
15 years, this student-run organization has
sponsored dances and social gatherings, present
ed safer-sex sessions, played host to educational
panels, advocated in the political arena and
provided a general peer support network.
But the workload has grown too large.
According to student union president Deanna
Leitner, a senior majoring in theater, “The
people who are doing the most advocacy on
this campus are students first, and the focus on
academics leaves little time for advtKacy."
In September, the organization will become
two, each with distinct roles. The existing stu
dent union will continue to operate in the
domain of activism and politics, working with
larger organizations such as Basic Rights Oregon
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