Earlier this month I was elected to the Board of Directors of
Hampton Roads Pride, the longest operating LGBT organization in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. With more LGBT organizations being formed there is a growing
consensus that the various groups need to better coordinate
their activities so that less time and money is spent on duplicating efforts. Give HR Pride's longevity, it seems the perfect vehicle to help organizations coordinate their activities. The board position will allow me to better provide pro
bono legal services to HR Pride and also provide ready communication between HR Pride and
HRBOR where I continue to be a member of the Board of Directors. The position will likewise allow me to be exposed to another segment of the LGBT community and market my law firm (since my every move is scrutinized by the ex-wife).
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I am excited because HR Pride has a new energized board and will finally be holding Pride events in June - June 28th to be exact - as opposed to in September which is in peak hurricane season and which in the past has resulted in the event being canceled due to extreme weather conditions (see the website for more details and sponsorship and advertising opportunities). I am also excited about the LGBT History Project that has been launched which will look at LGBT history in the Hampton Roads area and help instill a sense of what has gone before and the fact that this community has been around and visible for far longer than many believe. Here are some details from the latest press release on the new efforts of HR Pride:
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The LGBT History Project’s goal is to design a chronological timeline of major events that occurred in the Hampton Roads area and affected the LGBT community from the 1950s to the present. Local members of the GLBT community will be a primary source for local stories and anecdotal data. Interviews will be audio or videotaped for presentation and archived for any future research. The timeline will illustrate how events on a national scale affected LGBT persons in Hampton Roads. Old Dominion University will also provide some archival resources. Additional GLBT volunteers will be needed to complete the “Out in the Park – Stonewall40” display to be viewed on June 28.
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Hampton Roads Pride is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and has been a unifying force in the Hampton Roads and GLBT community in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and Newport News for 21 years. Their mission is to Instill Pride, Celebrate Unity, and Embrace Diversity in the GLBT community of Southeast Virginia.
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Hampton Roads Pride organizes a number of charitable events throughout the year including the Annual Scholarship Drive, Turkey Trot Food Drive, Toy Drive and Backpack Drive to raise funds for the Tidewater Aids Community Taskforce (TACT) and Chesapeake Child Protective Services. Other events such as the Annual Pier Party and Pride Cruise help bring the community together. For more information about sponsorship, vendors and a schedule of upcoming events please visit www.hamptonroadspride.net.
Among my various community activities that also double as marketing for my law firm to the local LGBT community is my membership on the Board of Directors of Hampton Roads Pride, the area's longest running LGBT non-profit entities which I hope will increasingly be able to serve as a liason between the various LGBT organizations. This year Hampton Roads Pride will host the 21st annual "Out in the Park" LGBT Pride festival Sunday, June 28, 2009 at Chesapeake City Park. 
