
February 22, 2010
Lexington Fairness has been active in the community 18 years. We have seen a lot change throughout those years and are proud of the service we’ve been able to offer. But, as time changes, so does the responsibility of our community organizations. Now is the time for Lexington Fairness to find partners and allies and spread the word of fairness further into the Central Kentucky region.
Over the past year, Lexington Fairness has worked with likeminded organizations through the Statewide Fairness Coalition. The goal of this group is to bring together voices from around the state to work on broadening the rights of the LGBT community in the commonwealth. Other founding group members include ACLU of Kentucky, Fairness Campaign, Kentucky Fairness Alliance and Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. Through organization of the Statewide Fairness Summit in Frankfort, young and old were able to come together and share thoughts and visions on what issues need to be tackled and confronted. The organization is also putting together the Kentucky Advocacy Day on February 24th, which will include training on how to be a citizen lobbyist, as well as a rally being held at the Capitol Rotunda. Lexington Fairness is excited and proud to be a member of this group.
As important as partnerships with other LGBT-oriented groups are, Lexington Fairness also recognizes the need to connect with complementary community groups. We truly have our heart committed to collaborating with local high school and college Gay Straight Alliances, working alongside
Imperial Court of Kentucky,
AVOL,
JustFund KY,
Moveable Feast,
GLSO and
Lexington Pride Festivalar. We all work together for a wonderful cause. But, in order to reach out to more allies and supporters, Lexington Fairness is venturing outside our safe zone.
We are excited to be involved with the
Lexington Art League for the upcoming Passing: Fashioning Drag exhibit and performances. This event examines the history, art and craft of drag in Kentucky. The state has been deeply steeped in drag history and the exhibit and performances are about bringing the knowledge and craft for the general public to enjoy. Not only will this be an entertaining event, but, it will also be extremely educational, as most citizens do not understand the background Kentucky has with this art form. We hope you will be able to support this exhibit and performances, coming to Lexington April 23 - June 26.
Additionally, as part of Lexington Fairness’ membership with the Statewide Fairness Coalition, we were able to meet with African delegates during a World Affairs Council. Talking with the 20 representatives from across the African continent, all coalition members were surprised how few rights these represented countries provide to their LGBT community. It truly was an educational experience for us, but, we found that the representatives were also educated in how we are able to form a coalition from different organizations, while focusing on distinct goals. Again, Lexington Fairness is proud to be a part of this coalition and have the opportunity to learn from such educational experiences.
Finally, Lexington Fairness is looking to continue community partnerships with churches, arts organizations, social work organizations and others who share complementary visions. We are currently examining ways we can work with the Kentucky Classical Theatre Conservatory’s SummerFest program and looking to see how we can reach the faith communities to support our fight for fairness. We look forward to working with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, as well as educational and social work organizations, in continued development of Lexington Fairness’ Speak Out Project, which is examining and developing anti-bullying awareness education.
We look for new and creative ways that can create in-depth partnerships with community organizations. Meaningful work in the community will continue to provide a deeper understanding and support from the general public. The longer we can sustain this image, the stronger we can fight for fair and equal rights. We hope to hear from you soon. Feel free to connect with us at
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.