Excerpt: provided now by email ---Addessa 215-772-2000 plgtf@op.net
Note well: Lesbian women, gay men, bisexual and transgendered people, as human beings in this world, can comment on general subjects unrelated to orientation or identity oppression.
General Sources: There are a wide range of social and cultural community groups in Philadelphia and throughout the region. The Task Force is happy to provide you resources directly and recommends, as well, that you consult readily available lesbian and gay resource guides for updated listings.
(Primary Source: Giovanni’s Room 12th and Pine 215-923-2960)
Stories that need to be told.
The Pennsylvania Civil Rights Initiative, launched in August 1996 parallel to the publication of the Task Force’s 1996 Study of Discrimination and Violence Against Lesbian and Gay People in the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Gross and Aurand). (Note: on the Studyitself, the Daily News would not cover a highly publicized May 1996 press conference featuring Claudia Brenner to launch this statewide effort). Sum of Initiative, 2 years later, 30 Initiative Coalition Partners; 3200 petition signatories; 20 organization supporters and 18 promised cosponsors with no prime sponsor. (Daily News no coverage; Inquirer through Colimore/Brady, a urgent news note early June 1998)
Resource: Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force, Initiative convenor,
at 215-772-2001 or 2 direct and other contacts noted June 25, 1998 14 of 14 press release.
The Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Education Equity Project, launched in 1984 and continuing: 1998 focus: to recenter what is called Multiracial-cultural-gender education (policy 102) in the reform effort. (Since 1992, the Daily News has missed consistently stories about the struggle to get, to maintain, and to recenter 102 – and the Inquirer editorialized against the policy). And the story, not told, to get Rendell’s appointment of Larry Gross, Ph.D. as an eminently qualified, self-acknowledged gay man to the Board of Education – a December through March 1998 campaign
Resources: The Task Force as above including co-chairs Kathryn Furano (215-557-4463) and Larry Gross (215-898-5620); Carrie Jacobs, Ph.D., Director of the Attic Youth Group 215-545-5706; GLSTN - Barbara Dowdall and Eric Watson, Co-Chairs,. 215-546-7030; PFLAG/Philadelphia – Susan Cassidy, 610-664-3929 and Melina Waldo, Regional Representative at 609-216-8285; and other minority based community groups, e.g. Ernie Jones at Urban Coalition and Ellen Somekawa or Helen Gym at Asian Americans United, Barry Morrison at ADL (continues)
Stories about diverse family forms and structures and the social and economic barriers and constraints attendant to such structures would be useful and informative. Resources: David Flaks (will provide #); Rosalie Davies, Esq. Custody Action for Lesbian Mothers at 215-667-7508); Family Pride CoChairs: Laura Fox at 849-7936 and Len Reiser, Esq. 215-848-843-8809 as well as Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International at 202-583-8029 and Ray Drew, Director, at 619-296-0199
Stories about the impact of Civil and Constitutional Rights victories and losses at the national, state, and local level are critical. A wealth of resources have been provided, continuing, to mass media print .
Resources: First source: your subscription to: Lesbian and Gay Law Notes: Arthur S. Leonard, NY Law School at 212-431-2156 and 212-431-1804 fax.
Locally, GALLOP, Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP) provide local referrals and resources at 215-627-9090. In addition, Cletus Lyman, Esq. at 215-732-7040 and Cheryl Ingram, Esq., Philadelphia Bar at 215-238-6305, and David Rosenblum, Esq. can be helpful. For class action litigation information, contact Beatrice Dohrn, Legal Director at Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund in NY at 212-809-8585
For information about discrimination and violence, or about the Pennsylvania Civil Rights initiative contact Task Force executive director Rita Addessa or Co-Chair Professor Larry Gross, Ph.D. at 215-898-5620. For information about mass media content analysis, contact Larry Gross as above. N.B. The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News, respectively, marginalized and ignored, thee minority-coalition based Broadcast Commercial Litigation Project: 1989-1994 and attendant issues around deregulation and media monopoly. Call for a list of participating organizations.
The "Criminal Justice" Project Philadelphia:
Another missed story, continuing. In May 1998, the Task Force organized and broadly publicized a collaborative meeting consisting of various community organizations to meet with the new Police Chief John Timoney to consider policy recommendations on the table since then Police Commissioner Tucker in 1986. The impact of the lack of any overarching agency in charge of and responsible for bias crime is in itself criminal and is largely unexamined. Ask for details.
Primary Resources: the Task Force as well as Karen Black, Esq. PILCOP; Judge John Braxton, the Barristers; Will Gonzalez, Esq., Police Barrio Relations Project; David Kairys, Esq. et al.; Larry Krasner, Esq; Barry Morrison, ADL; Sr. Mary Scullion and Will O’Brien, Project Home. In addition, Jerry Mondeshire, local NAAPC may be helpful. (Phone numbers available directly or through task force.) On police corruption: the Task Force has access to a now ex-cop who for more than one year has tried to engage the Police Civilian Review Board and local media, unsuccessfully, in an investigation related to drugs, bribes, and other corrupt practices by police. Call Addessa at 215-772-2001 Additionally, call Krasner, Kairys and the ACLU.
Note: In Philadelphia, 1998 is the 20th anniversary of the Lesbian and Gay Task Force; the 25th anniversary of Giovanni’s Room; the 20th anniversary of "Ladies"; the 10th anniversary of Diversity of Pride – all feature stories you missed to date – never mind the 20th year commemoration of the assassination of Harvey Milk with an attendant analysis and review of social and legal advances during this period. (Source: Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force 1616 Walnut Street 19103 215-772-2001 and 2004 fax and plgtf@op.net