November 20 is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. This is a time to remember and honor those transgender people who have lost their lives because of hate and fear. This year, today also marks the end of Transgender Awareness Week which was organized with the goal of raising more awareness of the needs and concerns of the trans community.
Members of the trans community experience disproportionally high violence compared to other members of the LGBT community. While public awareness is increasing, the violence continues, especially to trans women of color. One project working to document the violence and create change is the Trans Violence Tracking Portal. If you are in the Twin Cities area, please join the Transgender Day of Remembrance events tonight to honor members of the trans community who are no longer with us. Living Table United Church of Christ, at 3805 40th Street, in Minneapolis is holding a memorial at 7pm, Thursday, November 20. After the memorial, stop by RARE House at 3405 Chicago Avenue South (upstairs) for Trans Jam - live music, drag and DJs. Other events around the country are being collected at www.transgenderdor.org. Our friends at Bi Cast hosted a round table discussion with Debi Jackson about Trans Awareness Week and TDOR. The page for the podcast also includes other resources and links to more articles and information. GLAAD put together a good resource page about Trans Awareness Week and the Day of Remembrance.
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We asked and you gave!
On behalf of Bisexual Organizing Project, I want to thank everyone who was able to contribute to our Give to the Max Day fund raiser. Your investment in BOP allows us to continue to build, serve and advocate for an empowered bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and unlabeled (bi+) community to promote social justice. The final numbers are still coming in from GiveMN.org, but we already know that we had both more donors and more donations then we've had in any recent fund raiser. We also send our thanks to everyone who boosted our signal on social media or reached out to a few friends to ask for their support. BOP is a volunteer-run organization that depends on the time and talents of many people who do everything from writing our promotional material to making sure our discussion groups are welcoming and well run. Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP) builds, serves, & advocates for an empowered bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, unlabeled (bi+) community. Help fund the BECAUSE Conference and bi+ representation at regional Pride Celebrations! The BECAUSE Conference started in 1992 and has been an important part of the bi community. Don't take our word for it! Here's nationally known blogger Aud Traher: Over this past weekend I had the amazing privilege of going to the BECAUSE conference in Minnesota. 3 days of nothing but Bi activism, Bi workshops, performance and food. I have been in my fair share of LG BT spaces, I have given my time, my money, my spirit, my spoons and energy to those spaces and organizations. And you know what? Unless they can provide for me as a Bi Trans person the welcome and acceptance BECAUSE did? I’m out of there. http://evenaud.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/the-bar-has-been-raised-now-you-jump/ And bi elder Lorraine Hutchins: Surround me with a few hundred bisexuals for a whole weekend, and I relax like I haven’t in a long time, feeling empowered and supported. Even after all these years as an out bisexual, being with so many bi comrades who understand our unique challenges and care about our community is still a rare experience. http://www.lorainehutchins.com/2014/06/18/because-brings-bisexuals-together/ We keep BECAUSE as accessible as possible by keeping the price of registration low, providing meals and receptions throughout the weekend as well as offering scholarships. Last year of 190 attendees, we provided 45 free registrations to community members because of the amazing financial support of individuals, organizations and businesses. All U of M students attended for free as well! Help us keep BECAUSE available to the entire community! Donate now to support BECAUSE 2015—and we hope to see you at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus April 16 – 19th.
Another important part of BOP’s work is attending regional Pride celebrations in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. We provide a bi+ resource to attendees, work with Pride organizers to keep bi and trans included in their promotions and onsite language, and network with other organizations around the region about how they are serving their bi+ constitutions. Surveys of the LGBTQ community tell us that over 50% of the LGBT community identify as bi+, yet most LGBT organizations are still not providing any bi+ specific programming. Help us fund our bi+ advocacy in our region.
Thank you for your generous support! Donations on November 13 make BOP eligible for prize drawings each hour, so please tell your friends and help us spread the word. |
BECAUSEBECAUSE 2023
September 30 - October 1, 2023 Wellstone Center St Paul, MN We hope you will join us for the BECAUSE Conference in fall 2023! MissionBuild, serve and advocate for an empowered bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and unlabeled (bi+) community to promote social justice. Vision
Within the next five years grow Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP) into a successfully-run Upper Midwest nonprofit organization with annual funding of $100,000 that provides community building, education, and advocacy for the bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and unlabeled (bi+) community and our allies.
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