PFLAG Picnics in Farmington and Carlsbad by Sheila Mink

PFLAG Picnics in Farmington and Carlsbad by Sheila Mink

The month of October 2008 was the time for two PFLAG picnics, one in the NW and one in the SE part of New Mexico. And, they were on consecutive weekends. Knowing this information was the motivation for two road trips.

Shortly before noon on Saturday October 11th Katherine Palmer & I were ready to leave for Farmington, New Mexico. The wind was blowing briskly, to say the least, as we headed for Albuquerque, stopping there long enough to fill our gas tank. We continued on from the gas station and arrived in Farmington later that afternoon.

Next, we decided to look for the park where the picnic would be held the next day. After a bit of driving around we located both the park and the pavilion. The wind was still blowing very briskly.

Early on Sunday afternoon we ventured back to the pavilion in Lions Park, in time for the start of the picnic sponsored by the Farmington PFLAG Chapter. The temperature, having cooled considerably from the previous day, was about 55 degrees, but fortunately the wind had slowed down to about 25 miles per hour. And, thankfully, the sun was shining brightly, which helped to warm things up a bit. While we ate and talked we were also able to watch the people nearby in the park who were playing Frisbee Golf.

Monday morning in Farmington was very cold, setting a low temperature record of 22 degrees for October 13th. However, as we left for home, we were still basking in the warmth of the good time that we had at the picnic on Sunday.

The next weekend brought us another opportunity to attend a PFLAG picnic, this time on October 18th in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

A little bit past noon on Friday the 17th we were on our way. The weather was much nicer, without the windy conditions of the previous weekend.

Upon our arrival in Carlsbad, we once again went park hunting. This time we weren't able to find the park or the pavilion. Fortunately, we had the next morning to try again.

On Saturday morning we got together for breakfast with one of the members of the Carlsbad PFLAG Chapter. After we were done eating, she showed us how to get to the park and the pavilion. (As it turned out, we had come pretty close to finding it on Friday.)

In the early afternoon we were back at the pavilion, in time to walk around a bit before the picnic started. Since it was in Riverview Park near the Pecos River the scene was very different from that in Lions Park. Where we had seen pretty sandstone rocks at the picnic in Farmington, in Carlsbad we now saw pretty green grass, trees, and water.

And, the weather was quite different too, this time the temperature was 75 degrees, the sun was shining, and the wind was only about 15 miles per hour. For a day in late October it felt pretty good.

Once again we had a good time visiting with the people who came to the picnic. Many of them we had not met previously. The hours passed quickly, and then it was time for us to leave. As we drove home, we had good thoughts and good memories to take with us.

Currently there are chapters in Farmington, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Silver City, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, and Carlsbad.

Would you like to have a PFLAG chapter in the New Mexico town where you live? Katherine Palmer, the New Mexico PFLAG State Coordinator, would be glad to help you start one.

cell: 505-873-7373
email: contact@pflagabq.org

An Update On The Campaign For Domestic Partnership

An Update On The Campaign For Domestic Partnership
From The Campaign

The Domestic Partnership Campaign hit the ground running in late August and has been mobilizing our community and allies in cities and towns across the state. Campaign managers Jennifer Rose and Sandra Wechsler, Field Organizer Trey La Fleur, and Jesse Lopez Volunteer extraordinaire, have been leading the efforts to elect our pro-equality candidates and legislators.

The Campaign has been dedicated to working in six targeted legislative races in the northern and southern part of the state. In collaboration with our pro-equality legislators we have been organizing volunteers, hosting phone banks and walking door to door with our allies. We have connected with thousands of New Mexicans who support equality in New Mexico.

In addition to working in these important legislative races, the Campaign has been implementing our legislative and advocacy strategy. We are working in partnership with the Coalition for Domestic Partnership. The Coalition consists of organizations and advocates from multiple sectors that have come together to organize individuals, communities, businesses, and our faith leaders, to work towards passing domestic partnership in the upcoming legislative session.

In the upcoming months we will support our coalition partners host advocacy trainings, conduct town hall meetings, and educate individuals and leaders about the importance of ensuring equality for all New Mexicans.

We believe this is the year we will pass domestic partnership, but we need YOU!

Here are a few things each and every one of us can start doing now:

1) Tell your story! Talk to family, friends, and co-workers about the importance of ensuring all New Mexicans have basic legal protections.

2) Email us at dpcampaign@threesixtynm.com and sign up to volunteer to help pass domestic partnership.

3) Go to www.equalitypac.com and www.eqnm.org and make a donation.
For more information on how to get involved in the Domestic Partnership Campaign contact Jennifer Rose at 505-490-9058.

ABQs Common Bond Launches New Website

From Common Bond


Common Bond is putting together a new web site to try to fill the communication gap that is gapping in the Albuquerque LGBTIQ communities. The new site is CommonBondNM.org It started rolling out last night and should be full active today, Nov. 1. We are starting out with the resource list from Common Bond's old site, some news feeds and a link to LGBT Press for regional news, and calendar for anyone to post calendar items.

As it gets going we will be adding a "What's Happening" with "Eyes About Town" and other columns about things happening around town teasers of events coming up, issues arising and with photos & comments of past events. There will
- be a place to post opinions, ask for assistance & for opinions, and place to blog & comment and say what is on your mind,
- we will create some ways for people to do some networking, and
- groups will be able to set up their own sub-sites that can have their own calendar and it will be possible to limit to members.

What we hope is that it will become a reliable and authoritative source of information on all things happening in about & concerning the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Intersex, Two-Spirit, and Queer communities and their allies. We will be having meetings and training so people can learn how to use it better. We hope you will add your voice to this community web site.

This is a beginning. We want it to be a community web site, one that each of the community members feels like represents them in a way. It is open for you to put on it what you want. We are looking for folks to contribute to the web site, to author articles and columns and to manage the content be posted to the site. We will be having meetings and training so people can learn how to use it better. We hope you will add your voice to this community web site.

Check out the site: http://commonbondnm.org and leave a comment via the "Feedback" item at the bottom in the upper left menu of Primary Links.

If you are unfamiliar with Common Bond, it's full name is Common Bond New Mexico Foundation. It is the oldest gay & lesbian organization in New Mexico having been formed in 1981. It ran Albuquerque's lesbian & gay community center from 1983 to 1998. It still runs U21, an every Friday night social & informative gathering for youth under 21. In the last couple of years it has added Center Without Walls, to put on programs that would happen at a community center and Drops of Rain, an electronic monthly LGBTITQ collection plate to assist the people to make regular payments to those creating their community. Many of the current establish organizations spun off from groups that started at Common Bond. We are looking to again be that center for people work their magic, focus efforts and connect people to strengthen and enliven our community and communities here in Albuquerque and New Mexico.

Equality New Mexico Continues To Lead For Equal Rights

Equality New Mexico Continues To Lead For Equal Rights
From EQNM

Since 1993, Equality New Mexico has lead the way for L/G/B/T rights in New Mexico. Yet, this is a time of transition and exciting challenges for EQNM and New Mexico's L/G/B/T community.

The national organizations that have heavily supported EQNM over the years have made defeating California's Proposition 8 their number one priority. That means that EQNM will have to operate with one third of the budget the Board expected. It means that the Board of Directors has taken extraordinary measures to slash costs and significantly step-up its New Mexico fund-raising efforts.

"We remain committed to our goals," noted newly-elected Board President Chris Herbert of Roswell.

The Board of Directors has not allowed current circumstances to curtail their short-term or long-term goals for the organization.

"As always," affirmed Rachel Rosen, Santa Fe, "EQNM will continue to pursue our three-pronged agenda: Legislation, Advocacy, and Education."

EQNM supports the Campaign for Domestic Partnership, a joint project with Equality PAC. To that end, the Campaign for Domestic Partnership has hired Trey LeFleur, an organizer based in Las Cruces, and Sandra Wechsler, our campaign manager based in Santa Fe, for the Domestic Partner Campaign.

"The Campaign is aggressively working to educate voters in districts where we need to pick-up votes," reminded LeFleur. "We're particularly active in Dona Ana County."

The Campaign is active in six legislative races in the northern and southern parts of the State. EQNM will push anti-bullying legislation in the 2009 Legislative Session, in addition to our Domestic Partnership Bill.

Serving as lead advocates, EQNM volunteers and staff continue to field calls from across the State. EQNM advocates for L/G/B/T people across New Mexico.

"We get so many heart-warming, encouraging calls every day," noted Jesse Lopez, Albuquerque volunteer. "But, we still get far too many heart-breaking ones as well."

EQNM continues to pursue programmatic work to educate the community about our hard-won civil rights, the extent of the Hate Crimes Act, and fairness in relationship recognition.

What does that mean to YOU? It means EQNM needs your help like never before. It means that EQNM needs you to donate money. It means that EQNM needs you to volunteer for the Campaign for Domestic Partnership.

"It means EQNM needs you to take action now," confirmed Virginia Stephenson, Board member, "to ensure equality for our community."

Links:

www.EQNM.org
www.EqualityPAC.com

PFLAG Las Cruces to Hold “Transparent” Fundraiser

PFLAG Las Cruces will screen the film Transparent at it 13th annual Celebrate Diversity Fundraiser November 8, 2008 at the Hershel Zohn Theatre at New Mexico State University.

Transparent is a documentary that focuses on 19 female to male transgender people and their coming to terms with transitioning. The 2005 film has been acclaimed as one of the best examples of new Trans cinema.

For more information or to purchase tickets contact Merlyn at 575-522-2624 or pflaglascruces@yahoo.com.

NM GLBTQ Centers Celebrate Community

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers (NM Centers) will celebrate the GLBTQ community and make a major announcement at an event on Sunday November 16 at Peace Lutheran Church. The event will be from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

NM Centers’ Board of Directors, community leaders, dignitaries and special guests will celebrate community as New Mexico GLBTQ Centers will announce what’s next in creating a statewide system of GLBTQ Community Centers.

Peace Lutheran Church is located at 1701 Missouri Ave. in Las Cruces. Refreshments will be served. The community is invited to join the celebration. According to NM Centers Board President Richard Scramstad, “We’re excited about what has been happening and the announcement we will be making. We want to share our excitement with the entire community.”

NM Centers request you RSVP but are not requiring them, you may RSVP to info@newmexicoglbtqcenters.org

VAGINA MONOLOGUES AUDITIONS

Auditions for the Vagina Monologues and a new play, A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer, will be held the first week of November:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 from 4:00-6:00pm
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 from 6:00-8:00pm
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 from 10:00am-2:00pm

Location: The Women Studies office at NMSU, Science Hall room #286

WOMEN and MEN of all ages, shapes, styles and walks of life welcome and encouraged to audition!
NO ACTING EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - just a passion and commitment to ending violence against women.
Looking for people to act, work behind stage, organize, volunteer, and help in any way!

For more information, please email vday.nmsu@gmail.com.

Santa Fe Mountain Center Receives International Honor

Santa Fe, N.M.—The Santa Fe Mountain Center (SFMC) has been selected as the Association for Experiential Education’s (AEE) organizational member of the year. AEE is a nonprofit, professional membership association dedicated to the promotion and support of experiential education and has over 1500 members in 35 countries.

Dr. Nina Roberts, assistant professor of Recreation, Tourism and Parks at San Francisco State University, wrote in here nomination letter:
“They have touched the lives of thousands of people, young and old, giving many of their clients something to hope for during times of uncertainty and despair. Even the healthiest participants – across the program spectrum – credit SFMC for providing them with new ways of thinking and being in the world. The SFMC exemplified social justice and constantly strives for social change by Mountain Center will soon be celebrating 30-years as one of this nation’s premiere experiential education programs.”

The Santa Fe Mountain Center is the only nationally accredited therapeutic adventure program in New Mexico, and has been providing programming for the most underserved populations in the state since 1979. The methodologies applied represent an alternative to traditional educational and therapeutic approaches which tend to be conducted in comfortable institutional settings. SFMC creates learning experiences that include elements of adventure, community/civic engagement, education and challenge. Seventy five percent of the programming is focused on vulnerable youth through the Therapeutic Adventure Program (TAP). This program serves adjudicated youth, survivors of sexual, physical or emotional abuse, substance abusers, youth at risk of entering the system, youth in treatment, and displaced youth from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures. Socially and culturally sensitive applications have been developed for specific youth populations including Native American and LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Straight Allied) youth who have amongst the highest rates of suicide and drug abuse nationally. The balance of the curriculum focuses on adult and family services for trauma survivors, those at risk or affected by HIV/AIDS, and harm reduction services for intravenous drug users.

Developed through years of research and evaluation, SFMC programs are rooted in the Experiential Adventure-Based Resiliency Model© which focuses on building social competencies, positive values, and positive identity development. Adventure-based activities such as hiking, rock climbing, rafting, ropes courses, group problem solving challenges, and community mobilization activities, engage clients in a manner that integrates mind, body and spirit and have proven to be powerful vehicles for developing a sense of self worth, responsibility, and connection to community and the natural world. SFMC also endorses and is part of the No Child Left Inside Movement as they have been connecting children and adults to the wonders of the natural world since their inception.

From the early 1980’s SMFC became known for innovative applications of experiential education and adventure therapy consistently receiving recognition for their ground breaking work. “You’re in a territory that no other organization in the field is in right now, reaching out with applications of adventure programming that were unheard of.” stated Dr. Mike Gass, Dean of the Kinesiology at the UNH, during a recent AEE re-accreditation of the center. “The legacy that you are leaving continues to leave a huge broad wake in the field that is affecting other organizations. In many ways you lead the field and people recognize that. They’re watching you and want to know what you’re doing because what you do positively affects other people.” he added.

Addressing pressing social issues facing specific New Mexico populations that others have shied away from has been a distinguishing attribute of the organization. Examples of such programming include: Emergence, a Native youth leadership initiative which integrates experiential education, environmental awareness and community mobilization to provide Native youth with culturally sensitive tools for addressing community challenges; Climbing Up, Climbing Out /GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Network which focuses on positive identity, resiliency skills, empowerment, and community support for LGBTQA youth; The Anti-Bullying Initiative, a program designed in response to requests from local teachers to promote healthy peer relationships and create more caring and safe school communities that enhance learning opportunities for all students; Adventure Out, a pioneering HIV prevention program which utilizes experiential education and wilderness adventure for personal empowerment with a focus on healthy decision making; Positive Adventures, a program created to encourage people living with HIV/AIDS to maintain a positive outlook, continue living fulfilling lives and engage in community; and Harm Reduction Services where intravenous drug users in Rio Arriba County (which has the highest heroin overdose rate per capita in the U.S.) receive food, health education, treatment information and needle exchange to reduce the spread of Hepatitis C and HIV.

“You have a strong and vocal stance on social justice. You live social justice issues everyday and this permeates the very fiber of these walls, the people who work here, and the people who come here.” shared Dr. Mike Gass. “You can’t hide these programs like Climbing up Climbing Out, and Adventure Out and say that’s for our folks here that we work with.” he stated emphatically. “You need to share it with others because what you have achieved in these types of programs is so very, very important. So many efforts to clients that need services like these are in communities that are just afraid, and they don’t know how to go about achieving greatness like you have. So if you can take what you have produced and put fear to the side so that people who are genuinely underserved can really feel empowered – that is really something of a treasure you can present to other people.” he added.

SFMC’s innovative programming is producing significant, measurable results with requests for replication in other states. Invitations to present at national conferences have been frequent over the years and increasing as of late. Last month, Martin Walker and Kahlo Benavidez, of the Adventure Out HIV prevention program shared strategy and powerful outcomes of the unique approach at the largest U.S. HIV/AIDS conference. Next month the Harm Reduction program coordinator, Sheilah Galer, will be presenting at the National Harm Reduction conference in Miami, and also in November, several staff will be presenting at the National AEE conference in Vancouver, B.C. where SFMC will be acknowledged with this prestigious recognition. “Receiving the AEE Organization of Year award means so much to us, as we have worked so hard to be a responsive community resource as well as a program that sets high standards for the field of Experiential Education. We feel humbled and proud.” shares Executive Director, Sky Gray.

The Santa Fe Mountain Center is a 501(c)3 organization located in Tesuque, New Mexico, and provides services to clients statewide. They are dedicated to promoting personal discovery and social change among youth, families and groups through the use of creative learning experiences in wilderness, community, and cultural environments. The center regularly holds access lunches where community members can come and observe first hand the powerful interactions that participants experience. Please contact them at 505-983-6158 for future dates.