feUuary IL 2005 ’ jUSt OUt7
nnrT7TT7Rílnewsbriefs
CAP H ires S aadat to H ead
C ommunities of C olor I nitiative
Cascade AIDS Project announced Feb. 8
that activist Kathleen Saadat has been hired to
manage its newly created Communities of Color
Initiative.
Building on the momentum of CAP’s suc
cessful African American Initiative in 2003 and
2004, and its long-standing
Apoyo Latino/Latino Services
Team model, Saadat will oversee
efforts to continue to improve
the organization’s cultural com
petence and facilitate improved
relationships with communities
of color, with a particular focus
on the Latino and African
American communities in the
Portland metro region.
Saadat has held highly
regarded posts as state director of
affirmative action, co-chair-
woman of the Portland Rainbow
Coalition and executive director
of the Oregon Commission on
Black Affairs. A senior fellow of
the
American
Leadership
Fomm’s Oregon chapter, she has
also received numerous awards,
as well as recognition and honor
for her civil liberties work on
behalf of women, sexual minori
ties and people of color.
BRO P lans S tatewide
L obby D ay M arch 3
Kathleen Saadat dons a new hat for CAP as its Communities of
Color Initiative leader
Basic Rights Oregon is plan
ning to gather 1,000 people from
around the state March 3 in
Salem to celebrate the anniver-
sary of the Multnomah County
marriage licenses. In addition,
they plan to lobby legislators in Salem on civil
rights issues.
Lobbyists will promote the Oregon Basic
Fairness Act, a nondiscrimination bill that
would prohibit discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation and gender identity. In addi
tion, they will seek to educate and persuade leg
islators to add gender identity to the state’s bias
crime law, which already includes sexual orien
tation. Finally, they will promote the creation of
civil unions that extend all of the privileges and
responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples
in Oregon.
Volunteers will have a morning lobby train
ing and receive materials in order to effectively
visit elected officials at their offices to discuss
legislative priorities. Activities include a rally on
the Capitol steps, lunch with BRO and other
statewide activists, and a wrap-up meeting.
You must register by March 2 for space plan
ning, scheduling and training, but you don’t
need any lobbying experience to attend. Car
pools and shuttles make the day accessible to all
statewide. If you have questions, contact the
Legislative Action Team at 503-222-6151 or
jessica@basicrights.org.
BRO O pens F ield O ffices
in
S alem , M edford and B end
Following on the heels of its statewide bus
tour, BRO has increased its staff to include three
new regional field organizers in the mid
Willamette Valley, Central Oregon and South
ern Oregon.
Your contact in the mid-Willamette Valley is
Kristin Flickinger, who can be reached at
503-910-8474 or kristin@basicrights.org. In
Southern Oregon, your contact is Jeffrey Foust,
who can be reached at 541-245-9744 or
southernoregon@basicrights.org . The Bend
office is staffed by Bmce Morris, whose phone
number is 541-280-0738 and whose e-mail
address is centraloregon@basicrights.org.
N ational F emme C onference
C omes to S eattle
Queering Femininity, a three-day national
conference, will be held May 27 to 30 at the
Washington State Convention Center in
Seattle.
A variety of workshops, panels and caucuses
will address aspects of living as queer and femi
nine, as well as the complex challenges of build
ing and sustaining community. The conference
will also celebrate queer femininity and explore
avenues for building community based on the
values of cooperation, understanding and
respect.
Minnie Bruce Pratt, award-winning femme
poet and author of seven btxiks, will be featured
as the keynote speaker. Other confirmed presen
ters include Portland activist Emi Koyama,
Dossie Easton, Liura Harris, Veronica Monet,
Shar Rednour and Annie Sprinkle. Conference
organizers are actively soliciting workshop pro
posals and strongly encourage people of color to
apply.
Accompanying events include a vendor fair,
art exhibit, cabaret, all-ages dance, spoken word
performance and play party.
Queering Femininity is open to anyone
interested in the lives of feminine-identified
people in relation to queer, lesbian, bisexual,
dyke and trans communities.
For more information on events, proposals or
registration, see www.femmeconference.org.
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