Sacramento GLBT News

Gender Community Safety Seminar

June 6, 2009, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Sutter Cancer Center
2800 L Street
1st Floor, CLassrooms 1-4
Sacramento, CA

LGBT people and those perceived as LGBT are being targeted for violent crimes in Sacramento. Now is the time to take responsibility for our personal safety and self-defense. We, the gender community, are pledging to take action in partnership with families, allies, working professionals, and law enforcement. Promoting crime prevention and its principles is the first step. Building a foundation to put an end to hate crimes within our community through mobilization, education, and organization is essential to protecting ourselves, our ch! ildren, and our loved ones.

Workshops on:

• Safety Awareness
• Local Law Enforcement
• Emotional Trauma
• Self-defense

PRIDE is almost here!

The Sacramento Pride Festival will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Southside Park (6th & T) from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Celebrate change in 2009: Pride Rally and March--Changing the World with Pride! Rally at the California State Capitol West Steps at 9:30 a.m., then join up with the 2009 Sacramento Pride Parade for a march to the Pride Festival at Southside Park. All are welcome to join us in this community-wide celebration of the Pride season, featuring plenty of food and games, live entertainment, curated art show, Butch-n-Nellie's Coffee Grounds, a Kidzone and carnival, volleyball tournament, Beer Garden for adults, and more!

MEUSA Sacramento needs volunteers for tabling and to march with us in the parade - please email ca-sacramento@marriageequality.org if you are interested in helping out!

Camp Courage is Coming to Sacramento!

July 11-12, 2009
Location TBA

Inspired by the Camp Obama trainings that developed a new grassroots force in American politics, Camp Courage is an intensive two-day training designed to teach the principles and skills of community organizing to activists committed to winning marriage equality in the state of California.

Drawing on techniques honed for decades by progressive social movements, Camp Courage teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills.

Camp Courage is designed primarily for new activists or those who have never engaged with the broader community about marriage equality. But Camp Courage welcomes veteran LGBT activists and allies.

Camp Courage covers basic community and political organizing skills, including:

• Finding your voice by telling your story of self
• Leadership development
• Principles of successful organizing
• Developing collaboration and building effective teams
• Techniques of voter persuasion
• Organizing a phonebank
• Canvassing
• Tabling
• Throwing house parties
• Online organizing

Attendees will be expected to commit to organizing to overturn Proposition 8, including circulating the Courage Campaign pledge, which asks Californians to support a ballot initiative repealing the ban on same-sex marriage.

A background in community organizing or an organizational affiliation is not a requirement to attend Camp Courage. The only requirements are energy, commitment, and a desire to broaden your leadership abilities.