Queers and Allies

There are a few charity/volunteer events and activites that are coming up this month, the first being the Moveable Feast with the Young Activists club. The event will be next Saturday Nov. 14 but we will most likely be meeting the day before, Friday Nov 13 at Boundary to prep for the event. Bring yourself and others to make nummy sandwhiches.

Tomorrow, Nov. 7, Georia Southern University is having GLBTQ & Allies Conference from 8:30am-4:00pm for $10.

More events later! Keep an eye out for them!

Also, last meeting we discussed an event that took place over a week ago infront of the Trustees theater. The article from savannahnow.com:

Police bully citizens, curtail free speech

Savannah police threatened 20 gay leafletters with handcuffs, arrest, and a ride in a paddy wagon for passing out fliers on a public sidewalk in front of the Trustees Theater (owned by the Savannah College of Art & Design), in downtown Savannah.

Savannah’s well-dressed and powerful were attending the “Innovation Awards,” patting themselves on the back for being a progressive city. Outside, a swarm of police scattered the leafletters, claiming the sidewalks on both sides of the street were private for the evening, and that they would be arrested for just walking on the sidewalk.

The city has since confirmed that the event permit did not make the public sidewalks “private,” giving only the right to keep cars off a one block stretch of Broughton Street. We appreciate having received apologies from The Creative Coast and the City of Savannah, and we appreciate the meeting Alderman Van Johnson has arranged with the interim police chief.

We have yet to hear from the person who used his “great power” to summon a large number of police to commit a crime, i.e. throwing U.S. citizens off public sidewalks because he didn’t agree with their opinions.

Moreover, why did prominent politicians, including Alderman Tony Thomas and County Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis, who were in attendance, stand by and watch as their police committed this embarrassment? If this is an example of how interim Police Chief Willie Lovett plans to run the department, we need to keep looking for a new chief.

The incident is a reminder that innovation exists in many American cities, but beautiful and romantic Savannah is not yet on the list.

KEVIN CLARK

Georgia Equality

Savannah

There was also a meeting this Friday morning requested by the First City network to talk about this issue but so far not much has been done to seriously addres the issue properly. Thank you to those who went and I hope you guys were able to take something away from the meeting even though it didn’t go quit as expected.  But besides that, Krista made amazing rainbow ribbons, get yours today!

Good luck with FINALS and have fun!

~JL

It’s midterms once again and we hope you all are doing well! But dont let midterms cloud your head, there is still lots of work to be done for the Gender Bender ball that is next week!

Gender Bender
Where: Cafe SCAD Ballroom
When: Oct. 24th
Time: 8pm-midnight

The next meeting (Oct 22th) will be the last meeting before the ball so we need to get as much of the decor done then. And get your costumes ready! Song requests are also being taken on the facebook group!

During the meeting Jen showed us her ubertastic video of pictures and footage from the Equality March in Washington DC. Check it outttttt and check this one out too.

-JL

OK, everybody!

The club Fall 2009 Budget Proposal was submitted today!  If anyone wants to see a copy of the document (or any of our other forms) e-mail us at “qaa@scad.edu” to request them.

We submitted a request for just under $700.  Last year we got $250, although I don’t know how much we requested to know if it’s a ligitimate consideration or not.  The actual allocation process will occur on the 9th and will be attended by our fabulous and amazing ICC rep Joe!!  (thanks!!)

As soon as we know something, you’ll know something.  Keep your eyes open and your expectations high! 

-Chris

This past meeting on Oct. 1 we had Queers and Allies’ first panel discussion with heart felt and funny stories. We hope that everyone is able to take something away from this and maybe we can do this again sometime! Thank you to those who shared their personal stories. *hugs*

After the panel we had a signup sheet for Gender Bender committees but we are still looking for more volunteers for some of the committees. Feel free to join more than one committee, they really aren’t time consuming. If you weren’t at the meeting and want to volunteer you can sign up at the next meeting, here, the FB group, or the QAA email. Here is what we need:

-Decoration/Materials Comittee
-Poster/Educational Promotion Comittee
-Advertising Committee
-Entertainment Committee
-Setup Committee

We probably have enough for Take-down committee but help is still appreciated. <3
Next week we are having a Counseling and Student Services (CS3) Presentation!

Also, if anyone is having a problem of not being able to join the facebook group you probably need to change your Network. To do so, go to Settings > Networks > Edit Info > And then enter SCAD and your grad date. You should then be able to return the group and see a “join” button. If that doesnt work, get in contact with an officer or someone who knows what they are doing.

Until next time!

~JL

OK, guys… I’ve been pulling some strings behind the scenes.  During the weekend I met up with Lynn Gensamer, the director at the Humane Society, to talk about coordinating some service opportunities with them.  Read: playing with puppies and kittens!

She said it sounded like a great idea, so I’ve sent some correspondance out to the right folks to get this to happen.  I’m also in contact with some local hospices and other organizations to get us in the door there.  If this all goes well we may have a bi-monthly shuttle to the Humane Society and 2-3 opportunities during the quarter to help out with other service projects.  All our logged hours can go directly onto your resume, and trust me… that looks VERY good to future employers.

I’ll keep everybody up to date with what’s going on.  As soon as I hear back from Nancy Richards (volunteer coordinator) I’ll put up the verdict.

Keep being awesome, guys!! Can’t WAIT for the next meeting!  It will be super fantastic, we have so many interested folks! 

-Chris

If you missed the first Q&A meeting of the Fall 2009 quarter, no worries! Here is a review of some of the key things you may need to know:

[Equality Across America; Washington DC March: Oct. 10-11]
Stand Out Youth (SOY) is providing limited transportation to this march for this interested. They/we will be leaving to drive there the 9th and will return the 12th.

[Atlanta Pride: Oct. 31 - Nov. 1]
For those who missed out on Savannah Pride, here is the chance to make it to an even bigger and more popular pride event.

Next meeting we are having a panel from a few of our officers and elite members.

And! We had an awesome turn out of 54 people (if I counted correctly). Wonderful to have met you all, we hope to see you throughout the year! And those who didn’t come, we hope to see you too. <3

-JL

Welcome back, everybody!

Our first meeting will be held on September 24th, 2009 in the Boundary Village Common Room from 9:00pm -10:00pm.

Everybody is encouraged to attend!  Look for our print, poster, and digital ads for more information and BE SURE to pass this info onto your friends.  Our first-quarter average attendance last year was about 45, lets get that number up so we can really MAKE A DIFFERENCE to the students this year. 

Also, if you’re interested in attending an executive board meeting with all the Q&A officers I’m trying to set one up for this Thursday, September 17th at 9pm in the Boundary Common room.  This is not yet official, though.  Let me know!

I LOVE YOU ALL! 

Short notice but Savannah Pride Fest is THIS weekend. I repeate, THIS WEEKEND.

Some links you should check out if you are planning to go:

Sav Pride 2009 @ About.com
Sav Pride 2009 @ Myspace

Take advantage of being in Savannah and go! Or if you can make the trip (if it’s reasonable), go! Pics for the FB group would be great too. *hint hint*

-JL

“Chaz Bono (formerly Chastity Bono), the child of singers Sonny and Cher and former Director of Entertainment Media at GLAAD, announced today that he has made the decision to transition from female to male.”

glaadBLOG.org Article

“Yesterday, Chaz Bono took matters into his own hands and came out a second time as a man. Bono’s transition is the highest profile transition in recent history, and as gays and lesbians have learned, whenever a high profile individual comes out, it often helps pave the way towards acceptance, sometimes much more than lobbying and running PSAs, because when someone familiar comes out, it makes the concept much more tangible and human and much less abstract and foreign. It also helps provide courage for others to come out.”

AfterEllen.com Article 

Yay Chaz!

This blog post will be left open to Q & A members who would like to make any posts during the summer.  If you guys find something that is worth posting and would like to share, feel free to do so here or at our Facebook group.  Crits & comments for the club can be made here as well.

  “Summer is marked by the warmest time of year with the longest days. Summer is often depicted as a care free time to relax, take vacations, find romance, and go to the beach.”

Make good use of your summer, do some of the stuff from the quote above and have a great time everyone!