Why OutFront Minnesota has my Heart
|
By Paul Tuchman | Contact
Paul Tuchman, a marketing research consultant who conducts focus groups and interviews nationwide, has been active in the Twin Cities GLBT community for almost 20 years.
Besides serving on the Board of OutFront Minnesota, he was president of Philanthrofund Foundation and co-chaired the first two HRC dinners in the Twin Cities.
He is also co-president of B'nai Emet Synagogue.
|
|
| |
|
When I think about the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, I think of how we were forced to live - isolated and powerless.
Being a donor and a member of the Board of Directors for OutFront Minnesota, I see the result of its work which has produced a very different way to live - coalesced and empowered.
For many reasons, I support OutFront Minnesota financially as well as work on the Board to help shepherd this amazing organization.
OUTFRONT MINNESOTA IS A NATIONAL LEADER
Ours was the first organization nationally to include transgender people in its mission statement. It spearheaded the effort to change our state human rights law to include GLBT Minnesotans. It stopped an anti-marriage constitutional amendment from getting on the ballot for three years in a row. It helped elect, through its political action committee, fair-minded lawmakers that shifted the majority in our state legislature beginning in 2007.
OUTFRONT MINNESOTA WINS ALLIES
Through OutFront Minnesota's 21 years of work, it has done enormous outreach all over our state, resulting in a historic shift in the makeup of people who support GLBT equality.
We have provided thousands of trainings to tens of thousands of people all over Minnesota - in workplaces, schools, places of worship, police academies, health care and social service facilities, and more.
One recent request for a training came from a juvenile day correction program where the program coordinators wanted to introduce GLBT issues to teenage boys. Another came from an employer who wanted us to conduct transgender education for staff because an employee would soon be transitioning their gender.
OutFront Minnesota has added a new thread to the fabric of our state's culture by gently but persistently encouraging the full inclusion of GLBT people into the way mainstream society thinks about these issues.
OUTFRONT MINNESOTA HAS SHIFTED STATE POLITICS
In just a few short years, OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day, held every spring at the state capitol, has exploded in numbers and in impact. Many state lawmakers used to believe that they had no gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or allied constituents in their districts. As the direct result of OutFront Minnesota's annual "day on the hill" which includes citizen meetings with their lawmakers, legislators can no longer make that claim. They now know that their districts include GLBT and allied people and therefore must at least acknowledge that fact when considering votes on our issues.
OUTFRONT MINNESOTA MAXIMIZES PEOPLE POWER
The work of advancing equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality can be arduous and stressful, but OutFront Minnesota thinks it should also be fun. That's why our organization welcomes hundreds of volunteers every year who want to work with us. When you think about it, when someone gives their labor for free, what do they want in return? Fun, energetic people to work with, of course! You should see the camaraderie and smiles at our huge coffee house tent at Twin Cities Pride Festival each year!
OutFront Minnesota does so much more than garner valuable labor for its operations. It also harnesses more energy and people power for the movement itself.
OUTFRONT MINNESOTA IS AN EASY ORGANIZATION TO BACK
For me, giving financial support to OutFront Minnesota is easy because I so clearly see the impact of my contributions on the work being done. Serving on the Board of Directors is easy because I cherish being part of the leadership of such an organization. Telling others about our work is easy because I feel so proud of what we accomplish every day, every month, every year, year after year.
Quite frankly, the organization makes all of this easy by the outstanding work that it does. I am involved in many worthwhile organizations, but I know of none that has the breadth, the impact and the amazing track record of OutFront Minnesota.
The work that OutFront Minnesota does is important to all of us. I ask you to join me in making a financial contribution to help sustain OutFront Minnesota as it strives to achieve its mission, "to make our state a place where GLBT Minnesotans have the freedom, power, and confidence to make the best choices for their own lives."
Please make a contribution today.
Paul Tuchman
Board Member
OutFront Minnesota
