PFLAG-Wednesday, February 23, 2011-Polson Library 5:30 pm
kuhlwolf
Dear Friends,
Please stop in and share some friendship, refreshments, good information and a bit of fun with us on Wednesday. This is a non-stress meeting so come as you are! Invite a friend, everyone is welcome.
Peace,
Cheryl
Please join us for a meeting of PFLAG in Polson Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 5:30-6:30 pm, Polson Public Library, 2 1st Ave E, Polson, MT 59860 - PFLAG is Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, their families, friends and allies. Like everyone else, LGBT people have friends and neighbors, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins who love them, and whom they love and care for. For more information call Cheryl at 406-890-6289.
Eric Hall with the Montana Gay Men’s Task force will come speak to us to tell us about the organization and let us know about health information available through the organization and other resources including news about events, connections and supports.
We have a 10 minute filmed Laura Flanders interview with Cary Alan Johnson of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission who speaks about the life of David Kato and his struggles for equality in Uganda, the events surrounding his death last month and the connection with influences from the United States. We will review a short example of how these influences were at work in Montana this past month and how our efforts are important to the lives and human rights of persons in our community and around the world.
Our program will also include some very smart and uplifting commentary from our friend John Fugelsang, who knows a thing or two about bullying. He has some lessons for the Westboro folks which apply equally as well in Montana. He will inspire and make you smile.
If time allows there will be a surprise at the end that will take you back to the happy days of your childhood, or the childhood you should have had! Think blue and fuzzy!
See you there!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 ---next scheduled meeting date
If you no longer wish to receive emails regarding PFLAG meetings in Polson, please let me know and I will remove your contact info from this list. Your email address is never shared or sold.
The Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition, celebrating its 20th year working for equality, justice and respect for all individuals, is partnering with the Missoula Chapter of PFLAG (www.pflagmissoula.org) to form a group for local support in Polson and on the Flathead Reservation.
“We - the parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons - celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Only with respect, dignity and equality for all will we reach our full potential as human beings, individually and collectively. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision.”
PFLAG is Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, their families, friends and allies. PFLAG is the nation’s foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has 200,000 members and supporters in more than 500 chapters throughout the United States. To learn more, please visit (www.pflag.org)
ACTION ALERT: Ask your Senators to vote YES on SB 276!
by Montana Human Rights Network on Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 4:00pm
Senator Tom Facey of Missoula is carrying SB 276, to "generally revise deviate sexual conduct laws".
The bill has passed out of Senate Judiciary committee by a vote of 7-5. Please take a moment to contact your Senator and let them know you want them to vote YES ON 276 — TODAY.
You can use this simple link to contact your legislators: http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp
Here is some more information and talking points for your message. Please remember to be respectful, brief and share why this bill matters to you personally. Please consider forwarding your Senator's response to ja...@mhrn.org.
- SB 276 removes the unconstitutional language from the “deviate sexual conduct” code (MCA 45-5-505) — which calls for prison sentences of up to 10 years, and fines of as much as $50,000, simply for being gay or lesbian.
- This law was ruled unconstitutional by the Montana Supreme Court in July of 1997 (Gryczan v. Montana), and it is long past time that it is removed from the Montana Code Annotated (MCA).
- This law was also ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 2003 (Lawrence v. Texas).
- There is no reason for this language to remain in the MCA, and the fact that it remains in our state’s law books is disrespectful and hurtful to lesbian, gay, and bisexual Montanans. These are Montanans who are our colleagues, friends, family, and neighbors.
SKC talk show addresses important issues
By Lailani Upham
Rosalinda De La Luna, SKC administrative assistant and founder of De La Luna Foundation, stands next to the brightly lit new SKC board room next to her office. De La Luna recently launched a half hour talk show through SKC-TV programming called “Viewpoint.” The show will touch on a variety of human rights issues. (Lailani Upham photo)
PABLO — Suicides associated with bullying in Montana was a motivation factor for Rosalinda De La Luna, SKC administrative assistant and founder and Director of De La Luna Foundation, to launch a local talk show from the Salish Kootenai College public television station.
"I was inspired to it (talk show) when I heard of the suicides in September from bullying. It made me thing hard and I felt like I had to do something."
De La Luna says human rights advocacy comes natural to her and launching the program is something she wants to not only shed light on some topics that may seem taboo to many folks but would like to give back to the community by serving as a resource to those who face such difficult issues in the valley.
The program "Viewpoint" will air twice a month with topics covering human rights topics such as: bullying, disabilities, domestic violence issues, gay/lesbian/transsexual issues and immigration, according to De La Luna. She said she would like the show to be a resource and hopefully touch hearts to let people know they are not going through certain issues alone.
According to the most recent statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taken in 2006, the rate of suicide in the U.S. is 11.2 per 100,000 people. Montana was ranked the second highest in 2006 - just behind Wyoming - with 20 suicides per 100,000 people, with 189 reported suicides statewide that year, according to the CDC.
The De La Luna Foundation started through a labor of love by De La Luna and handful of other local people as a human rights organization, in May 2010.
De La Luna says she has carried the idea of doing a talk show for sometime and was pointed in the direction from a SKC faculty to KSKC-TV Director Dr. Frank Tyro. The idea was pitched in October and by December of 2010 the first taping was finished. "I am so grateful to KSKC for being able to do this," De La Luna expressed. "We could have gone to Missoula to do this program, but felt this community needed the resource and I wanted it to be based here," she added.
Viewpoints upcoming episodes include: "Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy," with guest speaker Shane Bird Dominguez, IT specialist at SKC Nursing Department to discuss his history and experience in the U.S. military and how the repeal of the policy could affect the military.
Episode four is a second series on "Bullying in Schools," with Ecco Beck and Tyler Tschida, two high school students from Hellgate High School in Missoula who will discuss anti-bullying programs and their personal experiences.
Episode five will be an interview with David Herrera, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Western Montana Community Center, a gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender community center located in Missoula.
SKC's public television station, KSKC is an over-the-air television station with four transmitters serving about 18,000 people, primarily on the Flathead Reservation.
KSKC began in 1988 with two analog transmitters in St. Ignatius and Ronan and is owned and operated by SKC.
Student numbers total about 1,200 with over 50 tribes represented in its diverse population. The station has grown with the community and evolved as technology has.
According to Tyro, KSKC receives no operational support from state or federal sources. Individual contributions, underwriting and program production are the sole sources of funding in addition to SKC in-kind services. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes also donate funding to assist in the continued operation of the station.
KSKC provides the only local public television that serves residents with free over-the-air broadcast service in the area. It is also a service to organizations and individuals to provide information about meetings, school and local events and other programs for free.
Community individuals who are interested in taping their own program are encouraged to apply for free airing. Training for video taping and editing are available at the station through classes or individual lessons as well to those who have interest in broadcasting a program, according to Tyro.
Taping and editing a program does require time of the individual or organization and a half hour talk show takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour. However for a half hour show/program KSKC will provide the editing, according to Tyro. "We would like to see the community take on new ideas," Tyro stated.
KSKC is a two-person staff with decades of program experience and engineering knowledge with numerous awards won for several programs, according to Tyro. "The Sacred Salmon" series has garnered four national and two international awards, he said.
General Manager and Chief Engineer Tyro have been on board with SKC since 1984.
Roy Bigcrane, program director has worked with the station since1987. Bigcrane is also an international award-winning producer for "The Place of the Falling Waters."
KSKC provides three hours of local programs per week. The schedule includes cultural, local issue, language, music, powwow footage, documentary, children's educational programs as well as some news.
The station does operate on a small budget and struggles to keep it going Tyro says. "We have kept it going for as long as we have through donations. What we have seen is, that our viewers are loyal."
For information on broadcasting a program contact KSKC, Frank Tyro at (406) 275-4878.
For information on being a guest or topic information on the Viewpoint talk show please call Rosalinda De La Luna at (406) 499-0078. Or visit the website for further resource information on show topics at www.delalunafoundation.org.
kuhlwolf
Dear Friends,
Please stop in and share some friendship and a cuppa with us on Wednesday. Snacks! This meeting is at the College this time, give me a call if you’ll need a ride. Invite a friend, everyone is welcome.
Peace,
Cheryl
Please join us for a meeting of PFLAG in Pablo Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 5:30-6:30 pm, SKC college at the Vanderburg Building #53, Pablo, MT- PFLAG is Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, their families, friends and allies. Research shows that families who experience social support are better able to prevent and cope with life stressors. For more information call Cheryl at 406-890-6289.
For the rest of the year, planned meeting dates last Wed. of each month:
Wednesday, April 27, 2011-- confirmed location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, May 25, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, June 29, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, July 27, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Sept 28, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Dec 28, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
If you no longer wish to receive emails regarding PFLAG meetings in Polson, please let me know and I will remove your contact info from this list. Your email address is never shared or sold.
The Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition, celebrating its 20th year working for equality, justice and respect for all individuals, has partnered with the Missoula Chapter of PFLAG (www.pflagmissoula.org) to form a group for local support in Polson and on the Flathead Reservation.
kuhlwolf
Dear Friends,
Sorry this reminder is so late. Please stop in and share some friendship and a cup of coffee or tea with us on Wednesday. I’m bringing a snack from the garden! J This meeting is at the College, give me a call if you need a ride. Invite a friend, everyone is welcome.
Peace,
Cheryl
P.S. The Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition is presenting some wonderful information about human rights at the suicide prevention oversight committee meeting at the Big Sky Bistro and Art Bar in Polson at noon if you can make it.
Please join us for a meeting of PFLAG in Pablo Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 5:30-7:30 pm, SKC college at the Vanderburg Building #53, Pablo, MT- PFLAG is Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, their families, friends and allies. Research shows that families who experience social support are better able to prevent and cope with life stressors. For more information call Cheryl at 406-890-6289.
For the rest of the year, planned meeting dates last Wednesday of each month:
Wednesday, June 29, 2011-- confirmed location Polson Public Library 5:30 pm
Wednesday, July 27, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Sept 28, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
Wednesday, Dec 28, 2011-- tentative location Polson Public Library
If you no longer wish to receive emails regarding PFLAG meetings in Polson, please let me know and I will remove your contact info from this list. Your email address is never shared or sold.
The Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition, celebrating its 20th year working for equality, justice and respect for all individuals, has partnered with the Missoula Chapter of PFLAG (www.pflagmissoula.org) to form a group for local support in Polson and on the Flathead Reservation.