For the Freedom to Live, Work, and Play Rally

Join Equality Ohio on September 27 at 1:30pm for a rally, press conference, and Lobby Day at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to support the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA). Your representatives and the people of Ohio need to know that there is broad support for this bill, and your participation is very important!

Contact Equality Ohio at 61 Jefferson Ave. Columbus, OH 43215 614.224.0400

Local Action Team Trainings for Lobby Day for Equality 2011

Sixth Annual
Lobby Day for Equality
is May 18, 2011
 
Make your voice heard at the Statehouse. Over forty new legislators need to hear your story!
Register here.

Local Action Team Leaders and Members needed - Equality Ohio's Local Action Teams' goal is to expand our education efforts, create better relationships between LGBT and allied people and their communities, media and officials, and create a better educated body of media representatives and elected officials in Ohio who will support equality for all their constituents. (Click here for more on this program). Since the inception of our Local Action Team Program, the team from Senate District 6 in 2009 was successful in gaining the support of Rep. Terry Blair (R) and then Rep. Peggy Lehner for EHEA. Work from citizen lobbyists like yourselves in Findlay, Ohio helped secure the support of then Rep. Cliff Hite and the on-going support of Rep. Ross McGregor is the work of the team out of Springfield, Ohio.

To pass pro-equality legislation, we have to engage legislators from both major parties and hearing one-on-one from their own constituents is the most effective way to educate our legislators. Where we have strong teams and a dedicated leader, the Local Action Team's are very successful. We still need leaders and teams from parts of the state, however. We still need volunteers from Senate District 5 (Miami and parts of Darke and Montgomery Counties), Senate District 7 (Warren and eastern Hamilton Counties), Senate District 12 (Allen, Mercer, Shelby, Champaign, Prebel and parts of Darke Counties), Senate District 14 (Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto and the western part of Lawrence Counties), Senate District 17 (Western Pickaway, Fayette, Clinton, Ross, Vinton, Highland, Pike, Jackson, Gallia and Eastern Lawrence), Senate District 19 (Richland, Morrow, Delaware and Knox Counties), Senate District 23 (West Cleveland area), Senate District 25 (far east Cleveland Area), Senate District 26 (Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot, Crawford, Marion, Logan and Union Counties), Senate District 28 (Portage and parts of southeast Summit Counties), Senate District 30 (Columbiana, most of Tuscarawas, Harrison, Jefferson and Belmont Counties), Senate District 32 (Ashtabula and Trumbell Counties) and Senate District 33 (Mahoning, far eastern Stark, Carroll and far northeastern Tuscarawas Counties). Want to make a difference? Consider being a Local Action Team Leader.

Contact kim@equalityohio.org for more information.

Join us for a Local Action Team Training and get information about the EHEA, the Comprehensive Safe Schools Act (CSSA) and other legislative priorities for this year, learn what progress has been made in the past year with your legislator, and practice and prepare with others from your area in advance of meeting with your representative.

Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com

Transgender Lobby Day Scheduled Mar. 13-15 in D.C.

Each year, transgender people, our families, friends and allies join us in Washington, DC, as we go to our members of Congress to share vital information with them about transgender people and our families. We will also have great opportunities to talk with policy makers in the Administration whose work directly impacts our lives. Please join us as we make strides to bring transgender equality to our nation's capital.
Make your plans now to join us on March 13-15, 2011 for an exciting conference and the opportunity to educate your member of Congress about vital issues for transgender people. Our goal is to make this our largest and most diverse Lobby Day to date. Will you help us?

Registration is now open for Lobby Day 2011. Go to Registration.

Local Action Team Trainings for Lobby Day for Equality 2011

Join us for a Local Action Team Training and get information about the EHEA and other legislative priorities for this year, learn what progress has been made in the past year with your legislator, and practice and prepare with others from your area in advance of meeting with your representative.

Northwest Ohio

Toledo
March 26th,  10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Village Church - Register Here

Bowling Green

March 26th,  2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church -Register Here

Western Ohio - Dayton
April 16th, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Cross Creek Community Church - Register Here

Eastern Ohio - Mt. Vernon 
May 7th, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Social Room, 1st Congregational United Church of Christ - Register Here

Southeast Ohio - Athens 
May 7th, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 pm. 
Athens Community Gateway for the Arts - Register Here

Northeast Ohio - Akron

May 8th, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Student Union Room 316 - Register Here  (Parking is not a problem) Cleveland, Canton, and Youngstown are being planned - time, date and place TBD

Central Ohio - Columbus

May 14th, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Stonewall Center on High - Register Here

Southwest Ohio - Cincinnati and Oxfod are being planned for the weekend of April 9-10.  Time and place TBD

Others are being considered as time and schedule allow.  Want a training in your area? Contact kim@equalityohio.org.