Help support the Octavia E. Butler Scholarship Fund! Buy a copy of Bloodchildren - the new ebook anthology of stories written by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars.

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Carl Brandon Society, what I can tell you is this: the annual cost to send a writer of color to Clarion and to Clarion West is about $8000. Therefore, we are looking for 1000 people to buy one copy each of our new anthology - or 500 to buy two, or - well, you get the idea.

Production and publication of the anthology has been supported by generous donations by SF3, the parent organization of WisCon, and individual donors.

http://q4ej.org/military-job-is-not-economic-justice-qej-statement-on-dadt

"Queers for Economic Justice staff and constituents have all met people in the LGBT movement who have said to us that the DADT repeal is an economic justice victory, since many poor and working-class LGBT people join the military to have access to better jobs, and because the military is the nation’s largest employer, QEJ should be joining the in the victory dance.

But QEJ believes military service is not economic justice, and it is immoral that the military is the nation’s de facto jobs program for poor and working-class people. And since QEJ organizes LGBTQ homeless people in New York City, we wanted to remind the LGBT community and progressive anti-war allies that militarism and war profiteering do not serve the interests of LGBT people. Here’s how:

1. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that about one-third of all homeless people in the US are veterans, but about 1.5 million more veterans are at risk of homelessness “due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.” They also report that 56% of homeless veterans are Black or Latino.
2. Some studies also show that one in four veterans becomes disabled as a result of physical violence or emotional trauma of war. There are currently 30,000 disabled veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3. Rape and sexual violence are very common occurrences for women in the military, and the ACLU is currently suing the Pentagon to get the real numbers on reported incidences.
4. Half of the US budget in 2009 was made up of military spending, including current expenditures, veterans benefits and the portion of the national debt caused by military costs, according to the War Resisters’ League. That is more than the US spent on Health & Human Services, Social Security Administration, Housing and Urban Development and the Department Education combined. Wouldn’t more social safety net spending help the millions of queers who can barely make ends meet?

In short, military service is not economic justice.

Furthermore, QEJ understands that there are LGBTQ people in other parts of the world, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, who have been killed, traumatized, or made disabled directly as a result of the recent US-led wars, or who have become vulnerable targets by fundamentalist backlashes to US imperialism. We stand in solidarity with other LGBTQ people around the globe, and do not condone violence against them or their home countries so that “our gays” have the “right” to serve openly in the military."

Hello Community,

I notice how, lately, this community is, well, dead. So, I am wondering if maybe it needs to change. While I still feel there is value in having a POC space for LTBGQQISGLF folks, maybe it is time to open up... to our allies of all colors.

I am aware that there could be some transition issues, but I think it might be better for the community as a whole... especially because, hiding away like this, we don't get to help inform people in our communities the way we could. I mean, that's why we come out... to become ambassadors from our homes and communities to the world. So, I believe we should start.

Please let me know what you think of this decision.

Also, I welcome anyone who wants to help me publish this all over LJ... in the different gay communities and communities of color, etc.

I will change the front page and post it here... I am such a socialist/communist at heart... I like committee and everyone having a say.

So, this is where I want to move, but it won't happen immediately, but it will take place before the month is up... unless folks have other concerns.

Hopefully I am not talking to myself!

Peacefulness,

Quentin

FYI:

Bi Intention Social Event
Pride Parade and dancing!
August 22nd @ Noon
Downtown Madison, WI
Bi Intention will be in the Madison LGBT Pride Parade - and YOU are invited to participate! Meet up on the south side of Capitol Square, right across from Brocach at Noon. Parade line-up begins at the same time one block away on Martin Luther King Blvd. - we'll troop over there when we're all together. Look for the Bi Flag tricolor and the Bi Pride banner! Meet for dancing that night; location TBD.

Bi Intention Support Night - TWO EVENTS!
Bi Support Group
Monday, August 23rd @ 7:00pm
OutReach, 600 Williamson Street, Madison WI
For discussion of issues of personal concern or interest, as they relate to bisexuality, pansexuality, omnisexuality or queer. Newcomers, people questioning their orientation, and others welcome.

Bi Intention Planning Meeting
Monday, August 23rd @ 6:00pm (one hour before the support group meeting)
OutReach, 600 Williamson Street, Madison WI
Our quarterly planning session; everyone is welcome! We'll be planning discussions and social events for September through December. Each event needs a host! We'll also be talking about a larger social event to build more visibility for the group.

For more information, contact badger2305@gmail.com, or visit Bi Intention's Facebook page.

AUGUST 2010 – Pride Month!

Bi Intention Discussion Sex Toys: education/demo/discussion
Date: Friday August 13th
Time: 7:00pm
OutReach, 600 Williamson Street, Madison WI
Facilitators: Angela H.
Get together for a fun-filled exploration of different sex toys and all sorts of stuff related to them. Not a play party; we'll have fun discussing and sharing our thoughts about sex toys and why we like them.

Bi Intention Social Event Pride Parade and dancing!
August 22nd @ Noon
Downtown Madison, WI
Line up for Pride Parade, we'll have bi-flags and a banner for the march. Meet for dancing that night; location TBD.

Bi Intention Support Night Bi Support Group
Monday, August 23rd @ 7:00pm
OutReach, 600 Williamson Street, Madison WI
For discussion of issues of personal concern or interest, as they relate to bisexuality, pansexuality, omnisexuality or queer. Newcomers, people questioning their orientation, and others welcome.

For more information, contact badger2305@gmail.com, or visit Bi Intention's Facebook page.

FYI:

Bi Intention Support Group
Monday, July 26th @ 7:00pm
OutReach, 600 Williamson Street, Madison, WI
For discussion of issues of personal concern or interest, as they relate to bisexuality, pansexuality, omnisexuality, queer identity, you name it. Newcomers, people questioning their orientation, and others welcome.


For more information, contact badger2305@gmail.com, or visit Bi Intention's Facebook page.

So I've heard before from people at my fiancee's old job the idea that "picnic" stems from "pick a n***er" and some practice of lynching while eating in the park, and I checked snopes to find out whether it was true or not, because it seemed wrong since I knew the word had an analogue in french, pre-slavery.

Today my law professor mentioned a friend of hers talking about a version of this story.

Here's the snopes article detailing how the rumor started and is false:

http://www.snopes.com/language/offense/picnic.asp

I'm just curious what you guys think... what do you say to someone who is SURE that they're right about the meaning of picnic or what the article says about how it fosters the image of ignorance for African Americans?

So,
I'm doing a film series for my school and I want to get some really cool Queer People of Color indie films/documentaries to show. We already showed Brother To Brother last year and while that movie's dope, it's really, really outdated. I was wondering if any folks in Blackfolk have suggestions for films.

Thanks,
--J--

x-posted

x-posted various places

( call for submissions - book on FTM/transmasculine People Of ColorCollapse )