The Fresno Stonewall Democratic Club is celebrating its 10th anniversary by launching a new initiative entitled “Move Forward Fresno: Tolerance through Equality.” The keynote speaker at the event to inaugurate the initiative will be Fresno’s own Robin McGehee (a charter member of the Fresno Stonewall Democrats), who was instrumental in organizing Meet in the Middle and the March on Washington, was part of the successful demonstration/lobbying effort for repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and is currently the head of the national Get Equal campaign (www.getequal.org).
Stonewall’s “Move Forward” project will be inaugurated with an 11 a.m. brunch on April 16 in the Tower District at the historic Tafoya Gardens (1044 N. Van Ness Ave.). The venue is on the east side of Van Ness across the street from the new offices of Gay Central Valley. The event will be a fund-raiser to finance the campaign.
The campaign funds raised will be used to promote “Move Forward Fresno” by
- launching a Speakers Bureau that will bring visible LGBT leaders to the Central Valley on a quarterly basis.
- promoting local education by having speakers available to address LGBT issues.
- organizing a Friends of Equality Committee to support legislation and executive actions that promote tolerance through equality. This committee will send advocacy letters and join court cases by filing “friends of the court” briefs. The committee will also develop op-ed pieces, letters to the editor and news stories for publication.
- supporting members financially in deferring expenses to conferences addressing issues consistent with the campaign.
The outdoor springtime brunch will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advance tickets are $40 per person ($50 at the garden gate) and may be purchased online through the new Stonewall Web site (www.fresnostonewall.org), which uses both PayPal and ActBlue payment systems, or by mailing your check to Fresno Stonewall Democrats, 5965 E. Shields Ave. #170, Fresno, CA 93727. Write “Move Forward” in the subject line. To become an event program sponsor, to participate in the brunch silent auction or for more information, call 559-824-9528.
