The boyfriend and I are definitely in activism and fundraiser mode this weekend. Last night we hosted 60+ folks at our home to raise funds for ACCESS AIDS Care, a local non-profit that provides services to individuals dealing with AIDS/HIV as well as their families. The evening was a success, although I was up until 2:00 AM washing dishes and cleaning up. Tonight we are off to the Equality Virginia Legends Gala fundraiser - EV's second largest fundraiser of the year and always a lot of fun. The individual honorees are good friends of ours, and the first organization to receive the Legends honor is St. Mark's Episcopal Church located in Hampton, Virginia. Getting involved in LGBT organizations has been a huge means to rebuild my social network and social life after coming out and see so many of my supposed friends act as if I was either a leper or just plain invisible. For those embarking on a coming out journey in mid-life, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get involved in LGBT community organizations. The years I have been a member of the Legends planning committee have made a huge difference in my circle of friends.*
Of course, there's another reason to become involved besides making friends and building a social network: doing good for others and often at the same time moving LGBT rights and equality forward. As fellow Bilerico contributor Austen Crowder noted, in the wake of Tuesday's elections, we need to take care of our own"
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Volunteer your time and your money to organizations working within your local community - they often get the short end of the stick. You can take your pick of organizations, as not everybody is political. There are youth centers that are always looking for content, HIV charities in need of help, community education centers in need of speakers. The world is not a nice place for queer people and these organizations help us navigate the law, access needed care, and network with friendly businesses and organizations. It's not sexy work by any stretch of the imagination, but giving your time to these places will have a direct effect on your local community.
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Are they going to help the political quest for equality? In most places, no. Just because we are fighting for future political victories doesn't mean we can ignore the needs of our community in the here and now.
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Volunteer your time and your money to organizations working within your local community - they often get the short end of the stick. You can take your pick of organizations, as not everybody is political. There are youth centers that are always looking for content, HIV charities in need of help, community education centers in need of speakers. The world is not a nice place for queer people and these organizations help us navigate the law, access needed care, and network with friendly businesses and organizations. It's not sexy work by any stretch of the imagination, but giving your time to these places will have a direct effect on your local community.
*
Are they going to help the political quest for equality? In most places, no. Just because we are fighting for future political victories doesn't mean we can ignore the needs of our community in the here and now.
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