Baltimore ..... Here We Come

We are heading off to Baltimore for the Task Force's annual Creating Change Conference this week. Look for updates, commentary and images from the inside beginning with out arrival on Wednesday evening.

The official Creating Change Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/CreatingChange?sk=info

The official Creating Change Website http://www.creatingchange.org/

Centers Organization To Present At Creating Change

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers will host a Caucus, Saturday, January 28, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM at the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. The conference is in Baltimore, Maryland at the Hilton Baltimore, January 25–29, 2012.

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Advancing LGBTQ Issues and Services in Small Communities

This caucus will explore ways of creating community, building a movement and providing services in small, rural states and communities. States and communities with smaller populations face unique issues when working to provide services to the LGBTQ population or advancing LGBTQ issues in the political arena. Bring your questions, ideas, examples of materials and resources to share as we create a lively dialogue and discussion. The objective of this caucus is for participants to learn from their peers ways to make their work in small states, rural communities and small towns or cities more effective. An additional objective is to indentify gaps in resources and begin creating an action plan to fill those gaps. Smaller communities often feel separated from the larger LGBTQ movement, this caucus attempts to put needed focus on small community issues.

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers Director Named To National Board

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New Mexico GLBTQ (NM Centers) Centers Executive Director, David Stocum, was elected to the Board of Directors of CenterLink, the Community of LGBT Centers on December 14, 2011.  CenterLink is the national organization for GLBTQ community centers.

Terry Stone, Executive Director of CenterLink wrote, “Congratulations on your election to the CenterLink Board of Directors.  I am thrilled that you will be working with us.”

Serving over 200 LGBT community centers across the country in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as centers in Canada, Israel, Mexico, China and Peru, CenterLink assists newly forming community centers and helps strengthen existing LGBT centers, through networking opportunities for center leaders, peer-based technical assistance and training and a variety of capacity building services.

NM Centers is the only organization in New Mexico whose sole purpose is to establish and operate gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community centers and related programs.  NM Centers currently operates the Las Cruces GLBTQ Center and plans to open a center in Gallup during 2012.

NM Centers Establishes SAGE New Mexico

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers (NM Centers) has created a senior services program and applied to become an affiliate of SAGE USA.

SAGE (Service and Advocacy for GLBTQ Elders) is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. SAGE has pioneered programs and services for the aging LGBT community, provided technical assistance and training to expand opportunities for LGBT older people across the country, and provided a national voice on LGBT aging issues. In 2005, SAGE became the first official LGBT delegate at the White House Conference on Aging. In 2010, SAGE was awarded a three-year $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging to seed the creation of the nation's only National Resource Center on LGBT Aging.

“Our relationship with SAGE will provide us with resources, technical assistance and training to create a robust senior’s program,” states David Stocum, Executive Director of NM Centers.  An advisory committee of seniors, advocates and service providers help develop the proposal to SAGE USA and will help guide SAGE New Mexico.

Mission Statement
SAGE New Mexico actively promotes a community culture of acceptance and inclusion related to LGBT aging. In partnership with constituents and allies, SAGE New Mexico works to achieve opportunities for LGBT seniors to reduce their isolation, connect with their communities, and access needed services. SAGE New Mexico advocates for LGBT Seniors rights, a greater understanding of aging in all communities, and positive images of LGBT life in later years.

SAGE New Mexico will formally begin operations upon final approve of the affiliation, expected early in 2012.