Tuesday--Vigil for victims of hate crimes.

Vigil Tuesday, November 24 for victims of hate crimes
Gather at 6 p.m. at 11th and Congress

Join the Impact-Austin is hosting a vigil in the memory of Jorge Steven López Mercado, who was killed on November 14 in Puerto Rico in a horrific hate crime. The vigil will take place Tuesday, November 24, at 6 p.m., at the south gate of the Texas Capitol (at 11th and Congress). Participants are urged to bring candles.

Mercado was found dead by the side of a deserted road near Caguas, where he lived. His body had been partially burned, decapitated and dismembered.

We are also standing up for other victims of hate crimes. Jason Mattison Jr., 15, an openly gay sophomore at the Vivian T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy in Baltimore. He was found dead last week at his aunt’s house.

In Houston on November 12, a gay Langham Creek High School freshman, Jayron Martin, was beaten by a fellow student with a metal pipe while eight others stood and watched, despite his pleas for help. The attackers told Martin that after the beating he wouldn't be gay anymore. Martin suffered a concussion. He also has cuts and bruises on his arms and hands, and said he does not want to return to school.

In addition to paying tribute to these young men, we must demand accountability from our political leaders, from the school board that refused to take action in Martin's case even though they knew ahead of time about threats against the boy, to the President of the United States. Politicians on both sides of the aisle--the openly bigoted and the indifferent and silent--are responsible for creating a climate of fear and scapegoating. We stand against bigotry and silence and demand recognition and justice for these young men.

Message from Jorge's mom, Miriam Mercado:



List of vigils happening across the country

Upcoming events

NEXT JOIN THE IMPACT MEETING

Monday, November 16, 7:00 PM
UT campus, Benedict Hall 1.122

Join the Impact is building the fight for LGBT equality locally and nationally. We are working on projects to put pressure on elected officials and are demanding full equality across the country. Join us!

RALLY FOR DOMESTIC
PARTNER BENEFITS at U.T.

Thursday, November 19, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
UT campus, Texas Union Patio

Did you know UT is BYOB? As students, we pay thousands of dollars in tuition and we demand an end to a bad management policy that keeps quality faculty and staff away, and as a result reduces the value of our degrees. Not offering domestic partner benefits is simply a bad management policy! President Powers wants UT to become the top public institution in the country in the years to come. We first have to be able to compete with other institutions that do offer domestic partner benefits to their faculty and staff. Join us on Nov 19th to demand that President Powers push the Board of Regents to allow him to offer these benefits if he is serious about UT being the top public institution!

Sponsored by Burnt Orange Benefits
RSVP on Facebook

Emergency Response TODAY and march on Saturday

EMERGENCY DEMO TODAY (WED.)
TO RESPOND TO DEFEAT IN MAINE

Gather at 5:00 pm at 11th and Congress

After a hard fought battle by supporters of equal marriage, Question 1 was approved by voters in Maine yesterday, stripping same-sex partners of the right to equal marriage. We are not backing down or giving up, but are more resolved to fight for LGBT equality in all fifty states.

SATURDAY: MARCH AND RALLY
FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

1:00 PM, Austin City Hall, Cesar Chavez and Lavaca

Join us for a rally at Austin City Hall and a march through downtown. Speakers and more details TBA.

On November 7, Join the Impact-Austin will host a Marriage Equality March and Rally to: Express our continued outrage a year after Prop 8; Toprotest rights lost in Maine and celebrate rights preserved in Washington; To continue to demand changes in Marriage Equality in the state of Texas; To mark Equality Across America’s Week of Initiative.

ALL EYES ON MAINE...

Today, voters will in Maine decide the fate of marriage their state. Question 1 in Maine seeks to strip LGBT people of rights and protections currently afforded to them through state laws. The mobilization and spirit for the National Equality March inspired many new activists to get involved in the campaign in Maine, and of this morning, it's to close to predict the outcome.

STANDING CALL FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE DEMO

If marriage equality is defeated in Maine on Election Day, gather for emergency response demo on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 5:00 PM, 11th & Congress, downtown Austin.

Join the Impact is also organizing a Marriage Equality Rally for this Saturday, Nov. 7, whether we see our struggle move forward or get set back this week. More details TBA.

This Wednesday: WHY WE MARCHED

WHY WE MARCHED

Panel / Report-back from the National Equality March

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7:00 PM
Pharmacy Building 2.110

On October 11, hundreds of thousands marched on Washington to demand equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Come and hear students and activists report back from this historic event, featuring participants and video from the National Equality March.

The march is just the beginning. We have stated our demand for equal rights on the doorsteps of those who have the power to make it so. But our work must continue until we have achieved our goal: full equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. Whether you rallied in DC, Austin, or have yet to get involved, join us.

We have only just begun to fight.



Download the poster here.

Texans--Let's Meet Up in Washington !

Join the Impact-Austin is proposing a couple of Meet-Ups in Washington this weekend. We would especially love it for all to come together in one big Texas-sized contingent in Sunday's march to show the world that Texas is out, proud and fighting for LGBT liberation.

SATURDAY

JtI-Austin members are planning to meet up on Saturday at 4:30-6:30 pm an event featuring Cleve Jones and Sherry Wolf. Come and meet up and hear what promises to be a lively and exciting forum featuring activists in the forefront of this rising movement.

Details are here.

* UPDATE - On Saturday, after the Cleve Jones event there will be a Texas LGBTQA Activist Networking Meet-up at Vapiano's in Chinatown (5-10 min walk from the Cleve event).

SUNDAY -- Join the Texas contingent in the march.

Meet up at 10:00 AM outside the Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St. NW.

Map here.

It looks like it's a close walk from the Farragut North stop on the Red Line of DC's Metro train system. (Note they're planning major construction on the Green and Yellow lines this weekend.)

This is close to the gathering area for the march, which is to kick off at Noon. We'll have a Texas banner as well as the Texas Queermadillo shirts for sale for $10.

See you in Washington !

For more info and contact information of Texas organizers, email jointheimpactaustin@gmail.com

BENEFIT PARTY FRIDAY!

A WAY TO DONATE

Dear friends,

We are committed to bringing as many Texans to Washington for the National Equality March, and are need of funds to help with travel costs. If you can't make it to the march (or even if you can) and would like to help someone else be there for this historic event, please make a donation to our PayPal account. Thanks !!!

TRAVEL INFO for those going from Austin to DC

One of our members has compiled travel information for those trying to figure out how to get to Washington DC for the National Equality March.

Download this Microsoft Word Document to get:

Tips on booking a cheaper flight, ground transportation in the DC-area, info about the hotel many of us are staying at as well as other lodging options, info about a group of Austinites traveling to DC in a rented van, and location of the MEET-UP SPOT for Texans wanting to march together.

Resources to help build for the march

Here are some things you can download and print to help spread the word and raise badly needed money for travel.

FUNDRAISING APPEAL LETTER

Take this to supportive friends, family, co-workers, professors etc. A lot of people are enthusiastic about this march, and you might find some people who would be happy to pitch in.

MOBILIZATION FLYER

Download, print, copy and put some up wherever you go. We've had more people getting involved who found out about the march from posters that were distributed in bars and other locations.

SIGN UP SHEET

This can be used at tables etc. to sign up people interested in going to the march.

COMING SOON... travel tips, including schedule of the weekend of the march, ways to find some cheaper air fare, some hotel recommendations, and information about a group of Austinites traveling to DC in a van.

Rally coverage in the Daily Texan

Rally spreads message of equality

A small turnout at a local GLBT rally held Thursday afternoon on the West Mall to promote a national march in Washington, D.C. didn’t discourage the students, faculty and staff who attended.

“Our point, really, was to tell people that there is a march going on in D.C.,” said graduate accounting student Corina Cantu. “We had about 25 people sign up [to go to Washington D.C.] which is encouraging for us.”

The National LGBTQ National Equality March, occurring Oct. 10-11, is expected to attract more than 100,000 supporters who will advocate for legislative and social equality for those in the gay and transgendered community.

“Up until now, it’s been a lot of asking — asking for civil rights, asking for little bits, but we’re tired of waiting, so now we’re demanding,” Cantu said. She will fly to D.C. for the event. “We’re going to create a national movement.”



Read the rest here

Austinites speak: Why we're marching

Help build for the March!

Download the local flyer here.

Download a sign-up sheet for the march here.

Sign up to go to the March!

Dear friends and allies,

Join the Impact-Austin is excited to help bring tons of Austinites to next month's historic National Equality March in Washington DC, October 10-11.

If you are interested in going with us, let us know. We're trying to put a more sophisticated web form up here, but in the interim, please email JoinTheImpactAustin@gmail.com and sent the following information:

* Name and Contact Info (phone and email)

* Can you make your own travel arrangements (transportation/lodging) or do you need some help?

* Do you need financial assistance? How much could you afford to pay for cost of the trip?

* Other questions / comments?

Mobilize for the National Equality March, October 10-11, 2009

Visit the web site for the National Equality March.

On October 10-11, 2009, we will gather in Washington, D.C. from all across America to let our elected leaders know that now is the time for full equal rights for LGBT people. This is simply a major national strategy to kick start our national grassroots Equality Across America campaign. We will gather. We will strategize. We will march. And we will leave energized and empowered to do the work that needs to be done in every community across the nation. This is only the beginning.

We hope to see a shift in strategy to one that will secure full equality in all 50 states. We look back to 1963 and 64 when the historic civil rights movement made its transition from fighting local battles to winning national victory with the passage of the civil rights act. It’s time for that passage for LGBT Americans.

On October 10 we will be holding workshops throughout the day to provide organizational tools to help lobby your congressional representatives at home. On October 11 we will gather at approximately 12:00 noon to officially kick-off our National Equality March. Our march route is currently being negotiated with city officials and a final permit is typically given 30 days before the event. Our rally will begin at 2:00 p.m. on the west lawn of the Capitol building. Details of the rallies schedule are being finalized and will be published when they are completed. Click to go to our FAQ’s section that provides further details about our National Equality March.

Our single demand: Equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.

Our philosophy: As members of every race, class, faith, and community, we see the struggle for LGBT equality as part of a larger movement for peace and social justice.

Our strategy: Decentralized organizing for this march in every one of the 435 Congressional districts will build a network to continue organizing beyond October.

“We will continue this fight in every state, in every county, every city and every town, but we are now determined to take this fight to the federal government, to our President Barack Obama, to the Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States.” --Cleve Jones, May 31, 2009, Fresno, California