Moving Marriage Out of Limbo

When a New Mexico county clerk began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, Mary Houdek and her longtime partner Norma Vasquez were the first in line.

The women, among 64 same-sex couples allowed to wed in Sandoval County before commissioners sued to halt the practice, have been in limbo ever since. New Mexico, whose voters backed a Republican governor in 2010 and President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in the past two presidential elections, is the only U.S. state that has no law related to same-sex marriage or civil unions.

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Give OUT Day, the first National Giving Day Campaign aimed at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer community

Bolder Giving in partnership with the Kevin Mossier Foundation and Forward Motion is excited to announce the launch of Give OUT Day, a new national initiative that aims to mobilize thousands of individual donors on May 9^th, 2013, across the country to give in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer (LGBTQ) nonprofit community.

“Less than 5% of the LGBTQ community gives to an LGBTQ cause, according to research from the Horizons Foundation and Movement Advancement Project,” says Bolder Giving’s Executive Director Jason Franklin. “Give OUT Day aims to raise awareness of the need to support LGBTQ nonprofits and elevate the level of LGBTQ philanthropy.”

“We expect to have over 500 or more LGBTQ organizations from all over the country participate in this first Give OUT Day,” says Noris Chavarría, Give OUT Day Coordinator.

“We are excited to be part of history in the making through the 1^st Give OUT Day and for it be launched here at Creating Change 2013,” says Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay & Lesbian Taskforce. “This effort is particularly timely now as LGBTQ rights are gaining support and attention. There is a large untapped potential donor base, both within the LGBTQ community and among straight allies that Give OUT Day will engage.”

“The timing is right for Give OUT Day. As fundraising and budget pressures are making LGBTQ nonprofits more eager than ever to try new strategies to compliment traditional fundraising efforts, Give OUT Day is tailor made to offer an exciting new venue for online giving for our community,” says Ben Francisco Maulbeck, President of Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

Give OUT Day will be breaking new ground as it adapts a fundraising model that has proven successful for local multi-issue fundraising to a national single-issue focus. Give OUT Day will engage and unite thousands of donors and organizations across the country that believe in the power and impact of LGBTQ nonprofits in daily life.

For more information visit http://giveout.razoo.com/story/New-Mexico-Glbtq-Centers

Happy 3 Years Las Cruces!

It is hard to believe that three years ago today our first community center in Las Cruces had its soft opening. We've made great strides from very humble beginnings.  The Rainbow Center in Gallup came on board last fall, Las Cruces had almost double the client visits in 2012 as in 2011, and we became an affiliate with SAGE and members of the National Coalition of Anti-violence Programs. 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year both for New Mexico GLBTQ Centers and the LGBT community as a whole. Marriage equality is at the U.S. Supreme Court, New Mexico awaits an opinion from the Attorney General whether same-sex marriage is already legal here and opponents of equality are now outnumbered. The excitement for New Mexico GLBTQ Centers includes a larger location in Gallup, changes in our leadership structure and new programs. Among the new programs is the Gender And Sexuality Discussion Group (recurring 2nd Wednesday each month) which will meet at the Las Cruces  GLBTQ Center beginning April 10th at 6:30PM. It is an informal monthly discussion of topics related to gender and sexuality, open to everyone regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Discussions may cover anything from basic definitions to current issues in politics and legislation, from scientific research to creative images, from pop culture to personal experiences. Feel free to join us whether you've had lots of exposure to issues of gender and sexuality or you're just starting to explore these topics. The group is facilitated by Jess Weinberg and Jeanine Deibel. If you would like more information, please contact the center at 575-635-4902. We've adjusted our leadership structure to provide improved focus on both local and statewide needs.  The Las Cruces and Gallup centers are led by Regional Operations Managers, Teresa Perez and Jordon Johnson, who are dedicated to building community through partnership and meeting local needs. In my role as Executive Director, I will focus on funding, program development, center development and supporting the local center leadership.  I will also continue our existing state and national partnerships while working to establish new collaborations.  We have also moved the organization's statewide headquarters out of the Las Cruces GLBTQ Center. As you can see, it is an exciting time, I hope you will join us for the adventure. Warmly, David Stocum Executive Director