RU12? Community Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Vermont

Thank You Eliza!!! Another successful RAR

The 4th annual Run Against Rape (RAR)took place on Sunday, April 27th.  It was another chilly day but there was a lot of action going on at Oakledge Park.  Eliza, our fabulous RU12? Americorps VISTA did an amazing job again this year and RAR was very successful!

This year we broke records in terms of sponsorship.  We were very excited about all of the support that we received from local businesses. 

The Chittenden Bank, Pete's RV, and the Laura Kate Winterbottom Foundation all gave $500.00 towards RAR.  Excel Physical Therapy donated $250.00, and Living Well Chiropractic kicked in $100.00! 

Eliza did a really great job assigning tasks, keeping track of what we were all doing and in the end pulled off another great event for the benefit of SafeSpace @ Ru12? Community Center. 

Eliza ROCKS!!!

Are you in....... or are you OUT?!

Have you designed your hat for the RU12? Queer Community Dinner and Auction yet?  Walk the runway, strut your stuff, and show off your mad hat skills.  Interested in designing a hat? All hats must incorporate a gay icon and something distinctly "Vermont."  The hats will be judged at the dinner.  A designer can designate themselves or a model to show the hat on the Run-Way, and a "fierce" prize will go to the top pick!  Don't bore Nina! Contact Karen to register!

Order your tickets for the dinner today!

Ann Atkins receives an Oscar for advocacy!

Please join us in congratulating our very own Ann Atkins, SafeSpace Program Director, who received the 2008 Community Based Advocate Award at the Fifteenth Annual Vermont Victims’ Rights Awards Ceremony in Montpelier on April 17^th!! This award is sponsored by The Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services.

In her acceptance speech Ann thanked her agent, personal assistant, acting teacher and all her fans who helped make this possible.......JUST KIDDING!!!!

Ann has been advocating for survivors of domestic and sexual violence for over twelve years which is a testament to her dedication and commitment to victim advocacy.  In the relatively short time that Ann has been at SafeSpace, she has developed new relationships with key stakeholders in Vermont to help raise awareness about the issues of same sex domestic violence, sexual and hate violence perpetrated against LGBTQ Vermonters.

Nominated to be the Chair of the Parallel Justice Commission, in addition to being a member of the Governor’s Council on Domestic Violence, Ann is an unwavering voice for LGBTQ survivors of violence in Vermont making a huge difference in the lives of LGBTQ survivors. Ann helps bring this often silenced voice to the table contributing to ending all forms of violence and discrimination.  Vermont is incredibly lucky to have such an advocate in our midst and we at SafeSpace and RU12? are honored to work with her!

Join Us At UVM's Rainbow Graduation!

Please join us in celebrating Hannah Hauser (Co-Director of Health & Wellness), Liz Batsford (UVM Intern, Anna Rawson (UVM Intern), and Ella Kaplan (MSW Intern) at the 7th Annual Rainbow Awards and Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, May 1st 2008!!!

LGBTQ Services hosts this event -- complete with music, food, and fun -- to celebrate UVM's LGBTQA community , its many achievements, and the LGBTQA students who are graduating -- both undergrads and grads.

For More Information check out LGBTQA Services  and RSVP!

All of us here at RU12? wish the graduates the best of luck in all their future endeavors!!  Congrats!

Trying to Rubber the Right Way

Brazil aims to protect the Amazon by using sustainably harvested rubber in condoms. Hard up for ways to preserve the Amazon rainforest, the Brazilian government has announced it's opening a condom factory that will use rubber harvested sustainably from the imperiled rainforest -- no tree-chopping required. The latex will come from the Chico Mendes reserve, named for a well-known Amazon activist gunned down by ranching interests. Conservationists hope that providing locals economic incentive to leave the forest intact will help slow deforestation. The Brazilian government is also touting the program as a buy-local initiative; the new factory aims to displace about 100 million of the roughly 500 million condoms the country imports annually and distributes for free as part of its initiative to fight HIV/AIDS. **

Of course, you don't have to head down to Brazil to pick up safer sex supplies. RU12? has a wide variety of colors, flavors, shapes and sizes of condoms for FREE! Stop by anytime and pick up any safer supplies you might need, including lube, gloves and dams. While you're at it, you could even get a free, anonymous HIV test every Tuesday or Thursday from 11-6pm. Check out our Health and Wellness Program for more details.

**Source: Weekly Grist, http://www.grist.org/?source=weekly

Sprint Into Spring

The 4th Annual Run Against Rape (RAR)is Sunday, April 27th at Oakledge Park!  Please join staff, volunteers and RU12? supporters in raising awareness for Sexual Violence Awareness Month. Bring your families, pets, work out buddies and colleagues to a FUN 5k run/walk through spring time in Burlington on a loop beginning and ending at Oakledge Park.

RAR is a community-building, fundraising event and all proceeds go directly to RU12?’s anti-violence program SafeSpace.

• Registration: 9am
• Run/Walk: 10am
• Location: Oakledge Park

• Registration Fee before April 27: $25

• Registration Fee on April 27: $30

All participants must raise a minimum of 50 dollars in pledges.

An award ceremony, with prizes for the individuals who raise the most money will follow the run/walk.  The 1st place prize is a one night stay at the Black Bear Inn.

Register Today!  Please print out form and mail it in. 

Download rar_registration.pdf

Contact RU12? with questions: 802-860-7812 or thecenter@ru12.org

 

 

Who's at your table?

The 10th Annual RU12? Queer Community Dinner & Auction is Saturday, May 31 (that's the weekend AFTER Memorial Day) at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington. If you've never been before, you should know that this is the LGBT event of the year, so get your table of 10 together and reserve your tickets now!

What's New This Year?

• A shorter program! We heard you wanted more time to chat and we're going to "make it work."
• Dan Savage! Sex columnist, author, media pundit and all-around trouble-maker. Rumor has it, you could win breakfast with Dan if the price is right...
• A runway show? In keeping with the Project Runway theme, we're inviting you to design a fancy hat and model it in our runway for a "fierce" prize. Don't bore Nina!
• A buffet! The Sheraton is promising a scrumptious buffet to improve upon last year's plated offerings. Eat as much or little as you want!
• DJ Precious! After the program, Precious will be taking requests for all the dance tunes you love (and those sexy slow songs, too!)

Click here for info on the benefit auction, volunteering and other details about the event...

April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month!

Originally a week in October was designated for Sexual Assault Awareness and another week in October for Domestic Violence Awareness.  But as the Domestic Violence movement began doing more through out October, there was the need to have a separate time for sexual assault and time in between to give dual coalitions and agencies a chance to prepare for both.  In 1987, the membership of the National Coalition Against Sexual Violence (NCASA) voted to have Sexual Violence Awareness Month to be determined by the Board of Directors.  States were formally polled and April was the month selected.  We in Vermont observe Sexual Violence Awareness Month because we see the need for the community to come together and end all sexual violence.

For More Info Check out: stoprapevermont.org  or contact the Women's Rape Crisis Center 802.864.0555  

Join us on April 8th for LGBTQ Visibility Day in Montpelier

Come OUT! Be Visible at the State House on April 8, 2008!

Tuesday, April 8^th is the Annual LGBTQ Visibility Day at the State House in Montpelier.

Join us to meet fellow LGBTQ Vermonters, connect with LGBTQ organizations, and to connect with your legislators about important issues facing our community today!

Over the past several years, we worked to pass the Gender Identity bill not once, but twice! And together – we won! 

But, we still have work to do! Although civil unions were a good first step and provide valuable protections for same-sex couples and their families, we still face discrimination in Vermont’s marriage laws. 

We collectively recognize that many in our community would choose to get married if provided that right, while others who would not choose to enter in a civil marriage.  However, we are united in our belief that by denying us marriage equality, the state denies us the dignity and choice to fully participate in a legal institution that is a prerequisite to many critical legal protections that still are out of reach for many LGBTQ Vermonters. 

There are also other issues important to our community that legislators must hear about directly from their constituents.  We need your participation to ensure that our presence and the issues that are important to us are VISIBLE!

Visibility Day 2008 Schedule
8:00am Organizational Displays in the Card Room
9:00am Legislative Update and Advocacy Training (Room 10)
10:00am Introductions on the House Floor
11am  Community Meeting with the Governor (Ceremonial Office, 2^nd floor)
Noon Legislator Conversations over lunch (Cafeteria)
1:00pm  Organizational Updates/ “Mini Queer Summit" (Cafeteria)
2:20pm Debrief and Wrap-Up
2:30pm Close

Questions or to RSVP contact Kara@ru12.org or call 802.860.7812.

Hosted by: Outright VT, RU12?, the Samara Foundation of Vermont, Vermont Freedom to Marry, Vermont CARES and VT TransAction

Schoolhouse: A Queer Friendly School!

To all the queer and allied families out there with elementary school age children:

My daughter started school at the Schoolhouse this year and she loves it; it is an amazing place for her, a girl with 2 moms who was very shy, and who now is completely sure of her self. There are many LGBTQ families at the Schoolhouse, and lots of our allies too; that's just one of the many things we love about it. Maybe it will be right for you or your family too. Please help spread the word about this upcoming Open House on March 25th. Thanks, Kara

Date:  March 25, 2008
Place: 8 Catkin Drive (Dorset Farms), South Burlington, VT
Time: 6:00-7:30pm

Join us for an evening gathering to learn more about how The Schoolhouse can foster your child's natural love of learning.

The Schoolhouse is a parent-teacher cooperative enrolling children in grades K- 6. Founded in 1970, it has been approved by the State of Vermont as an independent elementary school since 1973.  The Schoolhouse nurtures each child’s natural love of learning and helps each to assume responsibility for learning and proceed at his/her own pace. The Schoolhouse fosters academic excellence in a nurturing community, with the goal of leading children to discover the rewards found in active inquiry and respectful, cooperative work with others.

Our four talented classroom teachers have over 80 years of combined teaching experience and several have been with the school for most of their careers. All are dedicated to upholding the school's educational philosophy, which is founded upon the five core concepts of trust, sharing, responsibility, respect, and belonging. The academic curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in language arts, mathematics, science, Spanish, political geography, cultural history, art, music and physical education.

Limited openings available in grades K-6 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Please join us on March 25 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. to learn more about the exciting educational opportunities that await your child at The Schoolhouse! Also, visit us on the web at The Schoolhouse or call 658-4164 for more information.